[ad_1]
Mohamed Salah made sure to have the final say in Liverpool’s 7-0 win over Crystal Palace after being knocked out of the starting lineup on Saturday (Sunday New Zealand time), scoring two goals after coming off the bench.
The Premier League’s top scorer was unusually benched, by coincidence or otherwise, hours after an interview was published in which he flirted with a move to Spain and complained about not being the captain of the English champion.
After coming off the bench in the second half, the Egyptian scored the last two goals in the final three minutes of the second half.
“We needed fresh legs today,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said. “It’s an enormously intense period … bringing him the last half hour was a pretty good idea.”
Justin Setterfield / AP
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates after his second goal against Crystal Palace.
READ MORE:
* 16-year-old wunderkind Youssoufa Moukoko becomes the youngest scorer in the Bundesliga
* Premier League: Manchester United recovers from goalkeeper howl to beat Sheffield United
* ‘Proud Day’: Kai, Wayne Rooney’s 11-year-old son, joins Manchester United academy
* Liverpool rise to the top of the Premier League after beating their rivals Tottenham for the title
Klopp deliberately avoided addressing publicly the interview published on Saturday morning in which Salah, when asked about his future at Liverpool, told the Spanish newspaper AS: “It’s difficult, but now I can say that everything is in the hands of the club. “.
In his fourth season at Liverpool, Salah has two more left on his current contract.
“Nothing to say from me,” Klopp said.
Adam Davy / AP
Roberto Firmino (right) and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scored two goals in the EPL champions’ rout at Crystal Palace.
With Salah without a starter, it was a rare opportunity for Roberto Firmino and one the forward took advantage of with his first double in a Premier League match in 650 days. Salah was the provider of Firmino’s second in the 68th minute.
This display of ruthless attack began with Takumi Minamino scoring his first league goal exactly one year after Liverpool announced his transfer.
Sadio Mane and captain Jordan Henderson also hit the mark, as Liverpool posted their biggest away win in the league since 1991, six points clear of Tottenham at the top.
It was an empathetic way to end Anfield’s five-game winless escape in the league.
“In the last few games we have had some opportunities and we have not taken advantage of them and that has cost us,” Henderson said. “But today we managed to finish our chances and that is always important in football.”
It helped that the goals were assisted by seven different players, starting with Mane providing the opening for Minamino to attack in the first two minutes.
Adam Davy / AP
Crystal Palace’s Gary Cahill (L) duels for the ball with Liverpool’s Sadio Mane.
There was a flash of a Palace threat ahead of Liverpool’s attack that saw Firmino slide the ball towards Mane, who passed Nathaniel Clyne around the corner before placing second in the 35th minute.
Firmino started the play inside his own half that ended with him scoring just before the break. A cross pass was sent to Andy Robertson and Firmino ran forward to receive the ball from the left flank before receiving time and space to grab the third for Liverpool.
It was a cut from Trent Alexander-Arnold that Henderson snuggled into the top corner seven minutes into the second half.
Then it was time to shine for Salah, first as a supplier before Firmino caught goalkeeper Vicente Guaita at 68.
Salah had to wait until 81 to score himself, nodding after Joel Matip headed into an Alexander-Arnold corner.
And the Egyptian rolled his thirteenth league season into the top left after being set up by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who came off the bench for his first appearance since July following a knee injury.
Perhaps the only relief for Palace was that fans were spared witnessing this humiliation.
Unlike when Palace celebrated Tottenham last Sunday, fans were not allowed into Selhurst Park with London now subject to stricter coronavirus restrictions again.
“It’s very difficult to talk after that kind of loss,” Palace captain Luka Milivojevic said. “I’ve never had anything like this in my life. They were so clinical.”
Sterling secures City victory
Adrian Dennis / Pool / Getty Images
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling scores in a 1-0 win over Southampton.
Manchester City returned to winning ways by defeating Southampton in form 1-0.
Raheem Sterling returned home a Kevin De Bruyne center early, and they held on after back-to-back draws in the league.
Southampton entered the game third in the standings after a loss in their previous 11 games.
Coach Pep Guardiola’s City looked resolute on defense at all times, although they have yet to hit the mark and accumulated just 19 goals in their first 13 league games.
Southampton started off brilliantly, confidently chasing after goalkeeper Ederson and forcing some hasty kicks to touch.
Paul Childs / Pool via AP
Manchester City defender John Stones congratulates striker Raheem Sterling on the victory at Southampton.
However, when the opportunity came, City were clinical as Sterling converted a well-struck low cross from De Bruyne in the 16th minute.
Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said before the game that he would be willing to make Theo Walcott’s season loan from Everton permanent and that he was looking to restore his manager’s faith in him, causing problems for City on the right side. throughout the afternoon.
But Southampton’s task was made more difficult after Danny Ings, who has seven goals this season, was forced to retire just before the break.
