LIVERPOOL, England - Liverpool opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League with an emphatic and hugely impressive 3-1 win over defending champions Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
The victory, sealed with goals from Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, leaves unbeaten Liverpool on 34 points from 12 games, eight ahead of Leicester City and Chelsea, and nine in front of Pep Guardiola's fourth-placed City.
While talk of decisive results in November, with 26 games of the campaign remaining, is premature, the manner of Liverpool's win over a team which has dominated the league for the past two seasons was certainly a declaration of intent.
"The boys were completely focused and concentrated. It was so good," Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp said.
Anfield exploded when Liverpool grabbed a sixth-minute lead with a thundering drive from Brazilian Fabinho, who pounced on a poor clearance from Ilkay Gundogan and blasted past Claudio Bravo from over 20 metres out.
Yet City felt the stunning effort should have been ruled out -- and a penalty awarded to them -- as prior to the break that led to the goal Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to handle the ball inside the box but the VAR review went against the visitors.
It was the latest VAR controversy in the Premier League and is certain to spark more debate, but while the opening goal set the tone, Liverpool's dominance was soon evident all across the field.
City pushed forward in response and Raheem Sterling missed a close-range header, but Liverpool struck again in the 13th minute when Andy Robertson crossed from the left and Salah nodded the bouncing ball past Bravo to make it 2-0.
Juergen Klopp's European champions, without a domestic league title since 1990, now had a firm grip on the game and caused constant trouble for City's shaky defence with their powerful surges forward.
Liverpool were on top physically and their pressing stopped City from establishing their usual possession game but still they managed to carve out some openings.
Sergio Aguero, who had a disappointing game, forced Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker into action in the 25th minute and then the Argentine should have done better three minutes before the break when he shot wide after being fed by Kevin De Bruyne.
Guardiola needed to adjust something at the break to find a foothold in the game but City's third defeat of the season, after losses to Norwich City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, was assured when Liverpool made it 3-0 six minutes after the interval.
Jordan Henderson superbly worked space on the right flank and whipped in a cross which Mane dived to head home at the back post.
Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back for City in the 78th minute, drilling home a low cross from Angelino and the visitors enjoyed some late pressure but it was too late for a comeback from the champions.
City have not won at Anfield in the league since May, 2003 -- their only win at Liverpool in 38 years, but manager Pep Guardiola took positives from Sunday's performance.
"It's not easy after being two goals down to react the way we reacted. It was one of the best performances I have ever seen from my team. That's what we needed and hopefully we can continue to make the steps we need," he said.
(Reporting by Simon Evans Editing by Toby Davis)
source: news.abs-cbn.com
LIVERPOOL, England - Liverpool regained top spot in the Premier League after an impressive 3-1 victory over old rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday put them a point ahead of title rivals Manchester City.
After City's 3-1 win over Everton on Saturday, Juergen Klopp's side rose to the challenge with two second-half goals from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri.
Earlier, Chelsea won 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion to consolidate their hold on fourth place ahead of Arsenal, who were surprisingly beaten 3-2 at Southampton to end a run of 22 games without defeat.
Liverpool, the only unbeaten side left in the league, never looked in danger of letting that record slip in their home fortress and the only surprise was that it was not until the final 20 minutes that they made sure of the win.
Sadio Mane had put Liverpool ahead in the 24th minute with a fine finish, bringing down a Fabinho pass on his chest before slipping the ball past David De Gea.
United had been outclassed early on but, against the run of play, managed to get back on level terms when home keeper Alisson fumbled a low cross from Mane into the path of Jesse Lingard who accepted his early Christmas present gleefully.
As the game wore on, Liverpool were increasingly forced into hopeful long-range efforts but the introduction in the 70th minute of Shaqiri, a summer signing from relegated Stoke City, turned the game.
Both of the Swiss international's efforts, in the 73rd and 80th minutes, were deflected but the good fortune had been earned by a enterprising Liverpool display that highlighted the 19-point gap between the two clubs -- the biggest at this stage of a season in 46 years.
"I'm over the moon about the performance. The way the boys played tonight was outstanding," said Klopp.
"The timing of Shaqiri's introduction was not too bad. We need somebody to score the goals. But how the boys fought. The mix of big fight and really playing football against an unbelievably strong team," he added.
The win puts Liverpool on 45 points from 17 games, with Man City on 44 and Tottenham Hotspur third on 39.
Defeat, though, leaves United sixth on 26, 11 points away from the fourth Champions League qualification slot with manager Jose Mourinho, who had left France midfielder Paul Pogba on the bench, accepting that was the best his side could now hope for.
"We can still finish fourth," said the Portuguese manager. "It's not easy. For sure, we are going to finish in the top six. Best we can get is fourth.
"Now we look to the fifth and then later the fourth," he added, noting that United's fixtures are easier in the second half of the season.
Eden Hazard starred in Chelsea's win at Brighton, setting up the first goal for Pedro and scoring the second himself.
Manager Maurizio Sarri agreed that the last few minutes were difficult, however, after the home side revived and scored through Solly March.
"We conceded a goal in a moment when we were in full control," he said.
"The last five minutes against a very physical team were difficult to manage."
The win took Chelsea to 37 points, three points clear of London rivals Arsenal, who conceded three headed goals in defeat at lowly Southampton, the last of them in the 85th minute.
Danny Ings scored the first two and although Henrikh Mkhitaryan equalised each time, substitute Charlie Austin scored the winner with goalkeeper Bernd Leno at fault in not cutting out Shane Long's cross.
It was Southampton's first win since Sept. 1, achieved in new manager Ralph Hasenhuettl's first home game.
"I'm very proud of how focused and uncompromising they were, and when they had the chances, how merciless they were," the Austrian said.
(Reporting by Simon Evans Additional reporting by Steve Tongue Editing by Ian Chadband )
source: news.abs-cbn.com
