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Salah hat-trick sends Liverpool top, Man Utd finally click
LONDON, Dec 9, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Mohamed Salah’s hat-trick fired
Liverpool to the top of the Premier League with an impressive 4-0
win at Bournemouth, while Manchester United also finally hit some
free-scoring form with a 4-1 win over Fulham at Old Trafford on
Saturday.
Arsenal extended their unbeaten run to 21 games, but left it
late to beat Huddersfield 1-0 thanks to Lucas Torreira’s overhead
kick seven minutes from time.
Champions Manchester City can reclaim top spot with victory
at Chelsea later, but Liverpool took full advantage of kicking off
first on the south coast to start a big week in the best possible
fashion by moving a point ahead of their title rivals.
Salah had been rested from the start for Wednesday’s 3-1 win
at Burnley that kept Jurgen Klopp’s men on City’s coat-tails, and
the Egyptian looked to have benefited from a break as he looked
more like the player who netted 44 goals in an incredible debut
season at Anfield.
The visitors were slightly fortunate to take the lead on 25
minutes when Asmir Begovic fumbled Roberto Firmino’s long-range
shot Salah’s follow-up effort was allowed to stand despite him
appearing to be marginally offside.
Salah made the game safe by showing determination to stay on
his feet despite being fouled before finding the bottom corner
early in the second-half.
Steve Cook’s own goal then made it 3-0 before Salah sealed
his hat-trick by remaining remarkably cool to dribble past Begovic
twice before prodding home.
“What Mo did around his two goals in the second half was just
exceptional,” said Klopp. “I don’t know at the moment a lot of
players who would have scored these two goals.”
– Man Utd up to sixth –
United took advantage of Bournemouth’s defeat and Everton not
being in action till Monday to rise up to sixth by ending a four-
game winless run in the league with a comfortable victory over
bottom club Fulham.
Jose Mourinho again rang the changes, but continued to leave
Paul Pogba on the bench.
And it was three of those introduced to the side from
Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal that scored in the first-half
with Ashley Young, Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku on target.
“We were strong, aggressive and intense,” said a happy
Mourinho. “At times it was beautiful football. The first-half was
perfect.”
Aboubakar Kamara’s penalty pulled a goal back for Fulham, but
any hope of a fightback from the visitors was ended by a red card
for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Marcus Rashford added a fourth
for the hosts.
Arsenal are still yet to lead a Premier League game at half-
time this season, but again came good late on when Torreira
acrobatically met Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross to lift the
Gunners above north London rivals Tottenham into third.
Ralph Hasenhttl’s start to life as Southampton manager got
off to a terrible start as Callum Paterson scored the winner in a
1-0 victory to move Cardiff up to 14th and three points clear of
the bottom three.
Burnley also moved out of the drop zone courtesy of a first
win in nine games as James Tarkowski scored the only goal to beat
Brighton 1-0.
West Ham recorded a third straight win to move into the top
half by coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 thanks to
second-half goals from Robert Snodgrass, Javier Hernandez and
Felipe Anderson.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0845 hrs