EPL: Liverpool thrash Leeds to keep title challenge alive

Jurgen Klopp‘s side hit Leeds United for six on Wednesday at Anfield to move within three points of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table after 26 matches.

Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane were the heroes of the match after both forwards scored a brace each to keep the title hopes alive for the Reds. Liverpool came close in the third minute after Luiz Dias’ shot was blocked by Illan Meslier.

But they were relentless and were rightly awarded a penalty after Stuart Dallas handled Andrew Robertson’s aerial ball in the 14th minute. Salah was there to take Liverpool’s 170th penalty kick in the Premier League as he sent the keeper the wrong way in the 15th minute.

Liverpool didn’t stop thirsting for goals as Diaz forced another save in the 22nd minute. Eight minutes later, Liverpool doubled their lead as Joel Matip converted Mohammed Salah’s pass in the 30th minute.

Five minutes after conceding the second goal, Marcello Bielsa’s side conceded another penalty. Luke Ayling made a wrong attempt on Mane after the forward received a through ball from Salah.

After double checking with VAR, referee Micheal Oliver awarded the Reds a penalty. Salah increased the lead as he earned his brace from the penalty spot but they were not done as they added three more goals in the second half.

Mane continued his goal-scoring ways after returning from his heroic performance at AFCON by converting Jordan Henderson’s square pass in the 80th minute. He scored his second in the 90th minute but there was still time for a sixth from Virgil Van Djik who headed in an Andrew Robertson cross in the third minute of additional time.

Elsewhere in a rain-drenched Turf Moor, Tottenham Hotspur failed to continue their excellent win away at Manchester City last Saturday as they lost by a goal to relegation-threatened Burnley.

Antonio Conte’s side had all it took to get the job done with the trio of Heung Min Son, Harry Kane, and Dejan Kulusevski in the attack of the London side but failed to convert chances in their favour as they were the better side.

A chance to break the deadlock came through for Tottenham when a Harry Kane header from Son’s free-kick hit the crossbar in the 47th minute. As the pressure kept mounting, Burnley were barely holding up to avoid another home defeat after the one nil loss to Liverpool two weeks ago.

The homers finally got their goal through Captain Ben Mee, held off the challenge of Cristian Romero to head Josh Brownhill’s cross past Hugo Lloris in the 71st minute to record their third victory of the season.

A glimpse of hope seemed to appear for Spurs when referee Graham Scott stopped the play to check the VAR for a possible penalty call in the 84th minute.

Unfortunately, the result from the VAR turned down Tottenham’s request as the game returned with the quest to level.

After an away victory over Aston Villa, Emmanuel Dennis’ side Watford suffered a 4-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at the Vicarage road. Watford who have been unstable this season continued their hapless performances. Jean-Phillipe Meteta, Conor Gallagher, and Wilfred Zaha’s second-half brace responded to Patrick Viera’s last weekend’s defeat to Chelsea.

Palace broke the deadlock after Meteta’s shot deflected past Ben Foster in the 15th minute. The host recovered from the early setback as Emmanuel Dennis’ attack led to a corner after the striker dribbled past three players in the 17th minute. Watford earning a corner kick pulled through by Kiko found Moussa Sissoko who leveled for the Hornets via a header in the 18th minute.

Crystal Palace retook the lead when Conor Gallagher converted Tyrick Mitchell’s cross in the 42nd minute. The second half was a tight one until Wilfred Zaha scored his brace in the 85th and 90th minute respectively to take Palace up to the 11th position with 29 points.

Dennis’ countrymen, Troost Ekong and Samuel Kalu saw the game from the bench as Roy Hodgson’s side stay in the 19th position with 18 points.