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LIVERPOOL TOOK A giant stride towards the Premier League title on Sunday as a 2-0 win over Manchester City opened up an 11-point lead at the top of the table over Arsenal.
Mohamed Salah was again Liverpool’s star performer as he opened the scoring with his 30th goal of the season before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai to double the lead before half-time.
Just days after exiting the Champions League to Real Madrid, this was another sobering defeat for the dethroned English champions, who are now 20 points adrift of the leaders.
So often during Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign, Liverpool have come up just short in English football’s great rivalry of recent years. However, their time to match Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles now appears just months away in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
Arsenal’s shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday had eased the pressure on Liverpool, that had built after dropping points in two of their last three games at Everton and Aston Villa.
A trip to the Etihad has for so long been the stiffest test of all, but City’s defensive frailties were easily exposed and they also badly missed the presence of the injured Erling Haaland in attack.
Liverpool, by contrast, had their talisman fit and firing as Salah took his staggering tally this season to 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 Premier League appearances.
The Egyptian fired the visitors in front on 14 minutes thanks to a brilliantly executed set-piece routine.
Alexis Mac Allister’s corner was flicked by Szoboszlai into Salah’s path and his shot deflected off Nathan Ake past the despairing dive of Ederson.
At the other end, City’s own Egyptian international showed his ability to finish, but Omar Marmoush had strayed offside before being played in by Phil Foden.
City winger Jeremy Doku was skipping past Trent Alexander-Arnold at will, yet the Belgian consistently failed to deliver a telling cross or shot.
Salah was not so forgiving as he raced onto a long ball over the top and teed up Szoboszlai to wrong-foot Ederson.
The final outcome could have been much more humiliating for City had Liverpool had been as accurate on the counter-attack after the break.
Curtis Jones had a third goal ruled out by a VAR review for offside after Szoboszlai just failed to time his run through the heart of the City defence.
Ederson was forced into a stunning save from Luis Diaz and only a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Abdukodir Khusanov denied Szoboszlai a second.
Marmoush scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Newcastle and remained a lively threat as he flashed another effort across the front of Alisson Becker’s goal.
But City lacked the end product to make nearly 70% possession count.
Despite an eighth league defeat of the season, Guardiola’s men remain in fourth and will be confident of securing their place in the Champions League next season with a top-five finish likely to be enough.
However, after an unprecedented run of four consecutive titles, City look like yesterday’s team with Liverpool now champions in waiting.
Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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what about when you agree verbally while thinking “i will in me hole”. Not that men would do that of course but it sounds like it could be a marriage saver.
If I didn’t agree to disagree, I’d still be a virgin.
Good one.
Peter Crouch:
‘Peter..if you hadn’t been a professional footballer what would you have been?’
Peter…’A virgin’
Woman!
They don’t be well
Just agree with her, you will live longer
Sitting back beer in paw and bowl of M&M’s on desk just waitin to see how this goes down. …..
I want M&M’s now after reading that.
and I want a beer
I’ll happily share. Have about five packs here n a 24 slab. Should be just enough to sit back n watch the sh!t fly on this topic!!
See last comment Brian. Drag your ass over pal. It should be fun!
How come Brian gets an invite? Is there a smell off me or something?
Move over Glenard ya fat b@stard n get a beer into ya. You were already here when I asked. Easy on that whacky baccy till later. This could be fun!
You mean you hadn’t already??
What time will the wife get home?
when she’s finished at the party Paul..
Me don’t understand women, and most of the time women don’t understand themselves. S.i.t
I had a long term relationship for two weeks recently.
Big mistake.
I knew I should have jumped ship earlier but she was a bit clingy and emotional so I hung on for her sake but then I knew she was never going to change so I did the honourable thing and texted her goodbye.
So guys.
Take my advice.
Keep your freedom.
Duffy’s Circus.
One night and one night only.
The only thing men should know is that the woman is always right, even when she’s wrong but never call her out on it.
It’s easier all round and you’ll live longer.
Hmmmmmmm………
Do not disagree and throw me a can will ya ffs
Heads up… catch it… good on ya girl nice catch! Now let’s sit back n watch… Some MnM’s left there for you too. Put them aside for you cos Genard is a hungry ba$tard!
*Glenard. Bit tipsy, Ooops!
The only people who should marry are those who enjoy endless bickering. AKA morons.
@Beararse yep haha and proud of it. I rule the house. And if women ruled the world out would be done right!
My bf just knows I am right all time end of story. He wants to stay he knows the deal. Women should rule the world Barr Burton and her ilk.
A perfect example of a comment I should stay away from drunk or sober but just cant! Cough.. controlling freak… cough…. cough
Think you’ve had enough of them cans.
I’ll take the rest before you say something you’ll regret
Too feckin late I think. Hic…
#mgtow
@paul, that’s horseshit, I would never agree with that suggestion
have your say