LIVERPOOL: An injury-ravaged Liverpool fought back from a goal down to beat Luton 4-1 and open up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Wednesday.
Chiedozie Ogbene had given the Hatters a shock first-half lead against a Liverpool side missing Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota among others.
Dutch international duo Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo turned the game on its head in two minutes just before the hour mark before Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott secured the win.
Victory takes Jurgen Klopp’s men four points clear of Manchester City and five ahead of third-placed Arsenal, but having played a game more than both their title rivals.
Liverpool’s squad was already stretched by injuries prior to loss of Curtis Jones, Jota and Nunez in the first-half of Saturday’s 4-1 win at Brentford.
Salah scored on his return from a hamstring injury at the weekend, but was forced on as a substitute earlier than planned and suffered a setback that kept him out.
Klopp was already without Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara due to injury and the stretched Reds were forced to work harder for the three points than they would have wished just days before the League Cup final.
Without the first-choice front three of Salah, Jota and Nunez, there was extra responsibility on Diaz but the Colombian had a first 45 minutes to forget.
Twice he had big chances to open the scoring in the first five minutes, but took too long to get his shot away and then fired wide.
Luton held Liverpool 1-1 when the sides met at Kenilworth Road in November and have made a habit of ruffling the feathers of the Premier League’s elite on their return to the top flight.
However, the visitors had barely posed a threat before they went in front on 12 minutes.
Tahith Chong burst into the Liverpool box and when his powerful shot was parried by the legs of Caoimhin Kelleher, Ogbene headed in at the far post.
All of Liverpool’s chances before the break continued to fall to Diaz.
He just could not stretch to make a strong connection on Wataru Endo’s cross and then blazed high and wide when unmarked from the edge of the area.
Klopp was whipping up the Anfield crowd at every opportunity and his side finally opened the floodgates on 56 minutes.
Captain Van Dijk led by example as he shrugged off his marker to power in Alexis Mac Allister’s corner.
Mac Allister was the creator again seconds later as Luton again switched off from a dead ball.
Conor Bradley’s throw-in picked out the Argentine midfielder and his volleyed cross was headed in by Gakpo.
Only some heroics from Thomas Kaminski denied Gakpo and Van Dijk their second goals of the night as Liverpool continued to surge forward, even with the lead.
And an animated Klopp could finally relax 19 minutes from time when Diaz this time kept his composure to slot home his 10th goal of the season.
Elliott then rounded off the scoring on his 100th Liverpool appearance by blasting a loose ball into the top corner.
Liverpool’s attention now turns to securing the first of a potential quadruple of trophies to mark Klopp’s final season in charge when they face Chelsea in Sunday’s League Cup final at Wembley.
Injury-hit Liverpool roar back against Luton to surge four points clear
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Injury-hit Liverpool roar back against Luton to surge four points clear
- Victory takes Jurgen Klopp’s men four points clear of Manchester City and five ahead of third-placed Arsenal, but having played a game more than both their title rivals
Real Madrid’s winning run surprisingly ends in loss at Espanyol
- Espanyol inched two points clear of the drop zone, while Madrid’s lead was cut to one point after Atletico Madrid beat Mallorca 2-0 earlier
MADRID: Real Madrid’s winning run ended in stunning fashion after losing at relegation-threatened Espanyol 1-0 on Saturday in La Liga.
Defender Carlos Romero’s late goal beat the La Liga leader and moved Espanyol out of the bottom three.
Espanyol inched two points clear of the drop zone, while Madrid’s lead was cut to one point after Atletico Madrid beat Mallorca 2-0 earlier.
Madrid, which found out on Friday that it will face Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoff round, traveled to Espanyol with 10 victories in its last 11 matches in all competitions.
It dominated and Vinícius Júnior thought he gave the visitors the lead in the 21st minute but it was ruled out due to a foul by Kylian Mbappé on Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano.
Madrid was made to pay for its missed opportunities five minutes from time when Romero volleyed in Omar El Hilali’s cross, much to the home fans’ raucous — and surprised — delight.
Back to winning ways
Atletico went into its match against seventh-placed Mallorca having lost both of its last two league matches and with only two wins in its last four games after a run of 15 consecutive victories.
It took the lead in the 26th minute when Giuliano Simeone sprinted down the right before rolling the ball across the edge of the area for Samuel Lino to fire into the bottom right corner.
Rodrigo Riquelme hit the crossbar with a free kick two minutes from time and provided the through ball for substitute Antoine Griezmann to run onto and delightfully chip the goalkeeper and seal the match in stoppages.
Fifth-placed Villarreal crushed bottom club Real Valladolid 5-1 and Getafe drew with Sevilla 0-0.
In-form Dembele hits hat-trick again as PSG thump Brest
- Luis Enrique’s side are still unbeaten domestically this season and now sit 13 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table
PARIS: Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick for the second time in four days as Paris Saint-Germain hammered Brest 5-2 on Saturday in a dress rehearsal of the upcoming Champions League clash between the two sides.
Dembele followed up his three-goal haul in Wednesday’s 4-1 win at VfB Stuttgart which saw PSG secure a place in the knockout phase play-offs of Europe’s elite club competition.
The France winger opened the scoring in the first half, and netted two more after Romain Del Castillo had briefly brought Brest level.
Ludovic Ajorque pulled another one back for the home side to set up a grandstand finale, but substitute Goncalo Ramos wrapped up the win for PSG with a late double.
Luis Enrique’s side are still unbeaten domestically this season and now sit 13 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
Marseille, who are second, can narrow that gap a little when they host Lyon on Sunday, but PSG are cruising to their 11th French league title in 13 years.
Dembele, meanwhile, is loving playing in a central attacking role rather than his traditional position wide on the right.
He has now scored 14 goals in his last nine games in all competitions, and is Ligue 1’s leading marksman with 14 for the season.
“I am well positioned in the number nine role. I owe it to myself to score goals,” Dembele told broadcaster beIN Sports.
“It was important to win today to keep our good run going and now we will see what happens in the Champions League.”
PSG’s record against domestic opponents this season means Brest will surely be dreading having to face Luis Enrique’s side again over two legs in the Champions League.
The teams will meet in the first leg on February 11 in Guingamp, where Brest are having to host Champions League games this season as their own Stade Francis-Le Ble does not meet UEFA requirements.
They were in their usual home stadium for this game, but they could not stop PSG making it 14 games unbeaten in all competitions.
Bradley Barcola raced onto a through ball before squaring for Dembele to open the scoring just before the half-hour mark.
Brest, who lost 3-0 against Real Madrid in midweek, came out fighting after the break and drew level five minutes into the second half thanks to a lovely low strike by Del Castillo from the edge of the box.
However, the visitors were back ahead before the hour mark as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was denied in the box but the ball broke for Dembele to score.
He then completed his hat-trick soon after, having been picked out by a superb Lee Kang-in pass.
Ajorque’s terrific hit made it 3-2, but Ramos came on for Dembele and made it 4-2 on 89 minutes at the end of a counterattack led by Desire Doue, who had replaced Kvaratskhelia.
Ramos, the Portugal striker, then scored again deep in injury time, his eighth goal of the season coming as he tried to set up a teammate but saw the ball break back to him.
Brest are eighth, four points outside the European places for next season.
Monaco play Auxerre and Lille host Saint-Etienne in Saturday’s other matches.
Al-Ittihad fight back to keep pace with Al-Hilal in Saudi Pro League
- Win puts Al-Ittihad on 46 points, behind leaders Al-Hilal
- Title-chasing Tigers recover from 2-goal deficit to grab win
EDDAH: Al-Ittihad had to work hard to defeat Al-Kholood 4-3 on Saturday and stay within striking distance of Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal.
Two goals down early on, the Jeddah giants fought back for a win that puts them on 46 points, behind Al-Hilal only on goal difference.
The title-chasing Tigers had a terrible start, however, with William Troost-Ekong putting the visitors ahead after 15 minutes, and Myziane Maolida adding a second eight minutes later.
The hosts soon responded, with Abdulrahman Al-Oboud, a player in fine form, scoring within the half-hour. All the work was done by Houssem Aouar, who turned outside the box and dribbled through the defense only for his shot to be blocked. But his team-mate was there to bundle home.
Then, nine minutes into added first-half time, Steven Bergwijn scored from the spot after Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti was brought down in the area to ensure that the teams went in level at the break.
Almost immediately after the restart, Al-Ittihad were ahead for the first time thanks to Hassan Kadesh, who volleyed home a N’Golo Kante cross from close range to the delight of the home fans.
The victory was sealed just after the hour as Bergwijn got his second, scoring from a rebound off a Karim Benzema shot that was initially saved.
Al-Kholood made it 4-3 inside injury time as Maolida got his second, but Al-Ittihad took the win.
Al-Qadsiah, the league’s in-form team, were shocked to be held to a 1-1 draw at bottom club Al-Fateh. The easterners, who had won nine of the last 10, took the lead after just two minutes, with Julian Quinones scoring.
Two minutes after the restart, however, Matheus Machado scored to earn Al-Fateh a share of the spoils and ensure that Al-Qadsiah, newly promoted, stay in fourth on 38 points — behind Al-Nassr on goal difference.
Bayern survive late Kiel fightback to go nine points clear
- The full-time whistle was met with relief around the Allianz Arena
- “None of us are happy that we won 4-3 here,” Jamal Musiala, scorer of Bayern’s first goal, told Sky Sport
BERLIN: Bayern Munich stretched their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to nine points on Saturday with an extraordinary 4-3 victory over Holstein Kiel.
Bayern led 4-0 as Harry Kane scored twice, but Finn Porath replied for Kiel before Steven Skrzybski’s stoppage-time double threatened to steal an unlikely point.
The full-time whistle was met with relief around the Allianz Arena.
“None of us are happy that we won 4-3 here,” Jamal Musiala, scorer of Bayern’s first goal, told Sky Sport. “We have to have the mentality to work for 90 minutes and avoid conceding goals.”
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was also irritated with the manner in which his team ended the game.
“It was a pretty complete game until the 80th minute. But we also played against a team that was fighting for every moment,” Kompany told reporters.
“I thought we started the second half really well, but in terms of how we finished the game, that’s something we’ll have to review with the players.”
With Bayern’s closest title rivals, Bayer Leverkusen, hosting Hoffenheim on Sunday, Kompany’s side took their chance to widen the gap between them and the champions.
The Bavarians went ahead in the 19th minute when Musiala finished a beautiful team goal that involved a quick interchange of passes between Joshua Kimmich, Michael Olize and then Musiala, who steered in his 10th league goal of the season.
Kiel had almost made it to half-time just a goal behind but with less than a minute of stoppage time to go, Bayern struck a killer blow.
Kingsley Coman beat his man on the left and lofted a cross onto the head of Kane, who couldn’t miss from close range. Kane scored another in the first minute of the second half, heading home Raphael Guerreiro’s pinpoint cross.
It was Kane’s 55th league goal in 50 appearances, another Bundesliga goalscoring record for the England captain.
“To have 55 in 50 is obviously a proud feeling but as always with me it’s about the next 50 games and seeing how many more I can get,” said Kane.
Serge Gnabry joined the party with a fine goal, bringing a high ball under his spell with his right foot and volleying in with his left.
Kiel struck back with a beautifully-executed strike by Porath which seemed little more than a consolation, even after the fourth official indicated five additional minutes.
Skrzybski’s late brace nearly embarrassed Bayern but the hosts limped over the line as wounded victors.
Borussia Dortmund picked up a slim 2-1 victory at struggling Heidenheim in their final game before Niko Kovac takes charge, following the recent sacking of coach Nuri Sahin.
Dortmund went in front as Heidenheim couldn’t clear a corner and Serhou Guirassy scored from close range.
It was the Guinean striker’s fifth goal in his last four games and followed a double in the Champions League in midweek against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Heidenheim came into the contest without a win in their previous 14 league games and occupying the relegation play-off position.
The game remained tight until the hour when Ramy Bensebaini drilled a low cross in from the left and substitute Max Beier made a difficult finish look easy.
Dortmund became their own worst enemies, conceding 18 seconds after the restart as Mathias Honsak cut their lead in half.
But Dortmund held firm and weathered some late pressure to pick up a first league win since December 22, snapping a four-game winless streak in the Bundesliga.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Germany international Tim Kleindienst scored a late winner for Borussia Moenchengladbach in a 2-1 victory at Stuttgart.
Gladbach led when Nathan N’Goumou rifled into the roof of the net but a Nico Elvedi own goal soon after the break levelled the contest.
But a slick Gladbach counter-attack saw Lukas Ullrich pick out Kleindienst, who tapped in the winner.
Freiburg picked up a 1-0 win at bottom-placed Bochum, with Kiliann Sildillia nodding in his first Bundesliga goal.
St. Pauli were denied victory when Augsburg teenager Mert Komur struck late to ensure a 1-1 draw.
RB Leipzig moved back into the top four despite being held 0-0 at struggling Union Berlin.
Aston Villa’s Duran joins Saudi club Al Nassr for reported £64 mln
- The 21-year-old Colombian scored Villa’s winner in their memorable Champions League victory against Bayern Munich earlier this season
- “Aston Villa can confirm that Jhon Duran has joined Al-Nassr for an undisclosed fee,” the Premier League club said
LONDON: Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran joined Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr on Friday in a deal worth a reported £64 million ($79 million).
Duran was unable to break into Villa’s team on a regular basis despite a series of impressive substitute appearances.
The 21-year-old Colombian scored Villa’s winner in their memorable Champions League victory against Bayern Munich earlier this season.
“Aston Villa can confirm that Jhon Duran has joined Al-Nassr for an undisclosed fee,” the Premier League club said in a statement.
“The striker moves to Saudi Arabia having scored 12 goals for Villa this term, including the winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
“Everyone at Aston Villa would like to wish Jhon all the best in the next step of his professional career.”
Duran will link up with Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane in the Al Nassr attack after completing his move on the Saudi transfer deadline day.
It is the second biggest transfer fee Villa have received behind the £100 million Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish.
Duran joined Villa from Chicago Fire for £18 million in January 2023, scoring 20 goals in 78 appearances, but making just seven league starts.
Duran’s exit means Villa are almost certain to keep England striker Ollie Watkins, who had been the subject of a reported £60 million bid from Arsenal.
Villa boss Unai Emery said earlier on Friday that Watkins had told him he wanted to stay with the club.
