Football – Liverpool extended their lead on top of the Premier League to seven points with a trickier-than-expected 2-1 win over lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday courtesy of goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah.
The Reds looked to be cruising at 2-0 after Diaz bundled in on 15 minutes and won a penalty later in the half for strike partner Salah to convert with ease – a 23rd league goal for the league’s leading marksman.
But Wolves, fighting for their lives near the bottom of the table, gave them a few frights and punished Liverpool for a sloppy second half when Matheus Cunha curled a low shot brilliantly past Alisson in the 67th minute.
In an edgy finale at a relatively subdued Anfield, Arne Slot’s men held on for the win, taking them to 60 points and still on track for the Premier League title with nearest rivals Arsenal on 53. Both teams have 13 games left.
Wolves are 17th on 19 points, two above the drop zone.
Although Liverpool were far from their best, especially in a nervy second half, victory was a huge relief after a week of unusual slip-ups including an FA Cup defeat by second-tier Plymouth and a last-gasp equaliser for Everton against them in the league.
In the first half, the Reds looked comfortable after Diaz slotted home when Toti Gomes’ attempted clearance dropped kindly for him. The speedy Colombian was then brought down by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa for Salah to do what he always does – score easily from the spot – in the 37th minute.
Cunha was by far Wolves’ best player and had put a free kick just over before his glorious effort from outside the box had the away fans dreaming of a comeback.
In the second game yesterday, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison’s early goal was enough for his side to end a barren home run in the Premier League by beating fellow strugglers Manchester United 1-0 in an entertaining clash.
Maddison, back in the starting lineup after injury, tapped in a rebound from close range after 13 minutes to settle a contest in which both sides showed their frailties.
Tottenham’s first home league win for 105 days eased the pressure on their Australian manager Ange Postecoglou with his team moving above United into 12th place with 30 points.
United manager Ruben Amorim’s tough start to life at Old Trafford continues though and the Portuguese has now lost eight of the 14 Premier League matches since he took charge.
His side dropped to 15th with 29 points as they became the first United outfit to suffer defeats in a league double against Spurs since the 1989-90 season.
It was another underwhelming display by the visitors although they did have their chances with Alejandro Garnacho wasting a golden opportunity in the first half.
Tottenham’s injury list is finally shrinking and Postecoglou welcomed back first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and playmaker Maddison into his starting team while Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson were all on the bench.
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