Liverpool’s Curtis Jones celebrates after scoring towards Chelsea within the Premier League on October 20, 2024
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
Liverpool is trying increasingly more like Manchester Metropolis’s primary title rival after beating resurgent Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday to remain prime of the Premier League desk.
After Metropolis wanted an injury-time header from John Stones to beat last-place Wolves 2-1 within the early kickoff, Liverpool answered with a composed efficiency at Anfield handy Chelsea its first league loss because the opening spherical.
Having seen third-place Arsenal lose at Bournemouth on Saturday to lift questions concerning the Gunners’ title hopes, Liverpool and Metropolis took full benefit to construct a small hole atop the standings. Arne Slot’s group leads on 21 factors from eight video games, one forward of Metropolis and 4 above Arsenal.
Curtis Jones orchestrated the win for Liverpool, incomes a penalty for Mohamed Salah’s first-half opener after which scoring himself to revive the host’s lead within the 51st minute, shortly after Nicolas Jackson had equalized for Chelsea.
Jones additionally thought he had earned a second penalty in first-half damage time, nevertheless it was overturned after a VAR assessment judged that Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez acquired the ball earlier than bundling over the Liverpool participant.
However he capped a stellar efficiency by beating the offside lure to get on the tip of a ball into the field from Salah and slot within the winner.
“As quickly as Mo had the ball I made the run, nevertheless it bounced so I needed to have a contact, after which fortunately it went in,” Jones mentioned.
Liverpool was the final group apart from Metropolis to win the title, in 2019-20, and pushed Pep Guardiola’s group to the very finish a number of occasions underneath Jurgen Klopp earlier than ending simply fifth two years in the past and a distant third final season.
In Slot’s first season in cost, although, the Reds are trying like credible challengers once more and have now received 10 of 11 video games in all competitions.
And Metropolis is trying removed from unbeatable, needing one other last-gasp purpose from Stones to keep away from a 3rd league attract 4 video games towards a Wolves group that solely has one level to this point.
It additionally wanted a VAR intervention for the purpose to face, as referee Chris Kavanagh was referred to as to the sideline monitor to assessment whether or not Bernardo Silva was interfering with goalkeeper Jose Sa from an offside place.
“We’re not used to successful video games on the finish,” mentioned Guardiola, whose group has received 4 straight league titles by frequently overwhelming most opponents. “It’s a good taste for us.”
It additionally prolonged Metropolis’s unbeaten streak to a club-record 31 league video games, beating a mark Guardiola’s group had set in 2018.
With prolific striker Erling Haaland held scoreless for a 3rd straight league recreation, Metropolis’s defenders offered the objectives as a substitute after Jorgen Strand Larsen had given the hosts a shocking early lead within the seventh minute.
Josko Gvardiol curled in an excellent right-foot shot from outdoors the realm to equalize within the thirty third minute however Wolves then repelled wave after wave of Metropolis assaults earlier than the late intervention from Stones, who additionally netted a last-gasp equalizer towards Arsenal within the eighth minute of damage time final month.
“These moments don’t come typically for us,” Stones mentioned. “We’ve give you a number of over time and at present was one among them.”
Revealed – October 21, 2024 02:25 am IST
