Liverpool took a giant stride toward the English Premier League title on Sunday as a 2-0 win over Manchester City opened up an 11-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table.
Mohamed Salah was again Liverpool’s star performer as he opened the scoring with his 30th goal of the season before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai to double the lead before half-time.
“It is special. Especially when you are in the title race, it is incredible,” Salah said after Liverpool’s first league win at the Etihad for a decade.
Photo: Reuters
“Me and the big guys in the team, we need another title,” he added.
Just days after exiting the UEFA Champions League to Real Madrid, this was another sobering defeat for the dethroned English champions, who are now 20 points adrift of the leaders.
So often during Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign, Liverpool have come up just short in English football’s great rivalry of the past few years.
Photo: AFP
However, their time to match Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles now appears just months away in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
“We work every single day to achieve this, and it is three months of very hard work [ahead] to maintain this,” Slot said. “It is important to understand why we are where we are.”
Arsenal’s shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham United on Saturday had eased the pressure on Liverpool, that had built after dropping points in two of their last three games at Everton and Aston Villa.
Photo: AFP
A trip to the Etihad has for so long been the stiffest test of all, but City’s defensive frailties were easily exposed, and they also badly missed the presence of the injured Erling Haaland in attack.
Liverpool, by contrast, had their talisman fit and firing as Salah took his staggering tally this season to 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 Premier League appearances.
Despite an eighth league defeat of the season, Guardiola’s men remain in fourth and would be confident of securing their place in the Champions League next season with a top-five finish likely to be enough.
LA LIGA
AFP, BARCELONA, Spain
Luka Modric scored a brilliant goal from long range to help Real Madrid secure a 2-0 win against Girona on Sunday which took them back level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Vinicius Junior wrapped up the win late on as Carlo Ancelotti’s side produced a solid display at the Santiago Bernabeu.
After rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, now third, both won on Saturday, the pressure was on for the champions in the extremely tight title race.
Madrid had not won in their prior three league games, but flexed their muscles by thrashing Man City in the Champions League in midweek.
“It’s a very important win, we have to stay in the fight,” Modric told Real Madrid TV. “We can’t let our level slip and consider ourselves satisfied, we can still grow as a team.”
The Croatian’s goal was the highlight of the match.
“I was by myself, I controlled the ball, I hit it well and it went in,” Modric added. “I don’t know if it’s one of the most spectacular I’ve scored, it was really nice, it’s always special to score at the Bernabeu.”
Madrid were without suspended England international Jude Bellingham after his red card last weekend.
“Modric is a gift for football, he should continue as long as he wants,” Ancelotti told reporters. “What he does, he does very well. We’ve been lucky to have a legend with us.”
David Alaba started for Los Blancos for the first time in over a year after a severe knee injury.
“It’s very important win for us, we are very happy, it’s a good moment for us,” the Austrian defender told Real Madrid TV. “I am very, very happy, after the injury, I was ready to start this game.”
Earlier Athletic Bilbao hammered bottom side Real Valladolid 7-1 to stay on track for Champions League football next season.
Ernesto Valverde’s side, fourth, were rampant at the San Mames with Spain star Nico Williams scoring twice in the win which took them four points clear of Villarreal in fifth.
Isco struck twice as Real Betis beat Getafe 2-1 to move seventh, although winger Antony was sent off for a foolish late tackle from behind.
The Brazilian, on loan from Manchester United, has enjoyed a strong start to life in Spain, but needlessly felled Juan Iglesias after the ball had gone.
Antony would miss the visit of Real Madrid to Betis’ Estadio Benito Villamarin next weekend.
BUNDESLIGA
Reuters, MUNICH, Germany
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich powered past third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 with an impressive display of high pressing football on Sunday to restore their eight point lead in the Bundesliga over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bavarians were dominant throughout, while successfully nipping any planned Eintracht attack in the bud, and earning their first win in three matches across all competitions following two consecutive draws.
They are on 58 points in top spot with champions Leverkusen, 2-0 winners at Holstein Kiel on Saturday, in second place with 50. Eintracht are third on 42.
LIGUE 1
AFP, PARIS
Achraf Hakimi scored twice and Ousmane Dembele kept up his remarkable recent form in front of goal as Paris Saint-Germain won 3-2 away to Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday to maintain their unbeaten record in Ligue 1 this season.
All the goals were scored in the second half in Lyon, with Hakimi opening the scoring on 53 minutes and Dembele doubling PSG’s lead just before the hour mark.
Rayan Cherki pulled one back for the hosts late on to potentially set up a grandstand finish, only for Hakimi to find the net again. Corentin Tolisso then grabbed a second goal for Lyon in stoppage time.
PSG have won 18, drawn five and lost none of their 23 domestic league outings this season and are now a huge 13 points clear of nearest chasers Marseille at the top of the table.
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