Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool beat Wolves 2-1 on Sunday (Darren Staples)
Liverpool’s lead on the high of the Premier League stays seven factors after a nervy 2-1 win over Wolves on Sunday responded to Arsenal’s 2-0 victory at Leicester 24 hours earlier.
Manchester Metropolis had been the massive winners within the race for a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League with a 4-0 demolition of Newcastle, whereas Nottingham Forest and Chelsea had been overwhelmed.
AFP Sports activities appears to be like at three speaking factors from the Premier League weekend.
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Rigidity rises in title race
Liverpool seemed out of sight within the title race till Everton introduced the home down within the ultimate Merseyside derby at Goodison Park with a 98th minute equaliser in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw.
Arsenal took benefit to chop the hole on the high to 4 factors when stand-in striker Mikel Merino struck twice within the ultimate 10 minutes at Leicester.
Underneath stress for virtually the primary time in Arne Slot’s reign, Liverpool practically crumbled, regardless of racing right into a 2-0 lead over Wolves.
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Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah’s penalty put the Reds in entrance, however Anfield was awash with nerves because the guests pressed for an equaliser after Matheus Cunha decreased the deficit.
Liverpool have an enormous 10 days forward of their bid to win a record-equalling twentieth English high flight title.
After visits to Aston Villa and Metropolis, they host Newcastle at Anfield and there are lastly chinks within the armour to present Arsenal encouragement.
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“In a season the place you need to obtain one thing, you could have wins like this as effectively,” mentioned Slot.
“We needed to present a unique mentality and obtained it over the road.”
New faces refresh Man Metropolis
Metropolis’s Champions League collapse from 2-1 up 5 minutes from time to lose 3-2 to Actual Madrid within the first leg of their play-off tie was the most recent instance this season of an ageing squad working out of gasoline.
In between two draining clashes towards the European champions, the go to of Newcastle to the Etihad spelt hazard for Pep Guardiola’s males.
As an alternative, they put in arguably their finest efficiency of the season, thanks largely to a trio of latest signings.
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None of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez or Abdukodir Khusanov began the primary leg towards Madrid, however all three have to be in rivalry to take action on the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Marmoush scored a first-half hat-trick together with his first targets for the membership, Gonzalez earned comparisons to Ballon d’Or winner Rodri from Guardiola for his management of the midfield and Khusanov brings some much-needed velocity to Metropolis’s defence.
Even when it has come too late to avoid wasting Metropolis’s bid for a second Champions League crown, the trio might show very important in guaranteeing the English champions qualify for the event once more subsequent season.
Metropolis climb again into fourth and have third-placed Forest of their sights, simply three factors in entrance.
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No finish to Chelsea hunch
Enzo Maresca urged his Chelsea flops to be extra optimistic amid considerations about Cole Palmer’s physique language throughout Friday’s dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton.
Palmer reduce a annoyed determine on the Amex Stadium as Chelsea adopted their FA Cup exit towards Brighton with one other limp show within the rematch six days later.
The 22-year-old went straight down the tunnel at full-time earlier than being requested to return to the pitch to acknowledge the disgruntled Chelsea followers.
“Soccer is a crew recreation, it is not tennis; it is not solely Cole Palmer who’s annoyed,” Chelsea boss Maresca mentioned.
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“In a technique it might probably present the need of Cole to enhance issues. However it’s not nearly Cole, it is about all of the gamers.”
Chelsea have gained simply two of their final 9 Premier League video games to slide from potential title challengers to sixth.
Maresca labelled his facet’s meek give up because the worst show of his reign however he’s looking for extra positivity to show their fortunes round.
“We’d like all of them on this second to be extra optimistic as a result of this can be a second the place we have to stick collectively and attempt to end in the easiest way.”
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