Mohamed Salah urged Liverpool to deliver a hammer blow to Manchester City’s fading title hopes after inspiring the Premier League leaders’ dramatic 3-2 win against Southampton on Sunday.
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Arne Slot’s side moved eight points clear of second-placed City thanks to Salah’s second half double at St Mary’s.
After taking the lead through Dominik Szoboszlai’s early strike, Liverpool were rocked by Adam Armstrong’s equaliser before Mateus Fernandes put bottom of the table Southampton ahead in the second half.
As he has so often done before, Salah came to Liverpool’s rescue with a typically predatory equaliser and a coolly converted penalty in the closing stages.
Liverpool’s 10th win in 12 league games ensured they capitalised on City’s dismal 4-0 defeat against Tottenham 24 hours earlier.
Chasing a first Premier League crown since 2020, the Reds have a golden opportunity to throttle City’s hopes of a fifth successive title when Pep Guardiola’s team visit Anfield on December 1.
City have lost five in a row in all competitions and Salah said: “Hopefully, we keep going in that direction. We have a game against them so hopefully, we win it and go 11 points clear.
“Man City is Man City. They have a bad time now but they have great players.” Salah now has 12 goals in all competitions this term, including six in his last five league games.
“They were very important, especially after being down 2-1. It’s the most important thing to have won the game,” he said.
“Each game is different. They had a game plan and played very well. We managed to come back and win the game.”
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– ‘Urgency and intensity’ –
Having Salah on form has been crucial to Slot’s dream beginning to life at Anfield.
Slot has made a remarkable start, winning 16 of his first 18 games in all competitions.
The former Feyenoord manager’s deft touch has established Liverpool as title favourites in his maiden season at Anfield after replacing Jurgen Klopp.
Slot conceded Liverpool lacked intensity in the first hour at St Mary’s, but he was pleased with the way his players responded to falling behind.
“In the second half I saw the intensity I was looking for in the first half. Southampton make it really difficult for many teams, including top clubs, and they made it difficult today, though we dominated the game completely in my opinion,” Slot said.
“There was not enough urgency to arrive in the box in the first half, we just kept the ball instead of attacking the box.
“Although we fell behind in the second half we showed more urgency and intensity. That led to numerous chances and eventually two goals.”
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With Salah’s contract due to expire at the end of this season and the forward yet to sign a new deal, Slot was quick to praise the contribution of his talisman.
“If you want to win you need to score goals and we know Mo can score,” he said. “For me his first goal is the most important as we scored out of nowhere, then after that it was just waiting for us to score another.”
Before City’s crucial trip to Anfield next weekend, Liverpool host Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday and Slot is relishing the blockbuster clashes.
“They are two teams who have dominated football the last few years. So two big games and that’s why we needed to win today and that is what I am happy about,” he said.
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– Man Utd held by Ipswich in Amorim’s first match in charge –
Ruben Amorim was given a stark illustration of the size of his task at Manchester United after his uninspiring team were held 1-1 by struggling Ipswich in his first match in charge on Sunday.
The Portuguese — the latest man tasked with restoring the club to the top of English football — spoke before kick-off about the need to be “patient”.
But he had barely settled in his seat at a blustery Portman Road before Marcus Rashford turned in Amad Diallo’s inviting cross, stunning the home crowd.
Ipswich, who started the day in the relegation zone, battled back, earning the equaliser they deserved through Omari Hutchinson just before half-time.
Neither side could find a winner in the second period despite chances at both ends, with the result leaving both managers unsatisfied.
The result leaves United 12th in the Premier League, six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, while Ipswich are still in the drop zone.
Before kick-off two Manchester United fans held up a home-made sign saying: “Good luck Ruben Amorim, Make our team great again.”
The former Sporting Lisbon boss, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag, made three changes from the final line-up named by United’s interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy before the international break.
And he changed his formation to play three at the back as widely expected, with England forward Rashford operating as a lone central striker ahead of captain Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho.
United were ahead within two minutes when Diallo surged down the right, shrugging off the attentions of Leif Davis and Jens Cajuste to whip in a cross that Rashford touched home from close range.
Amorim, wearing a black coat and dark trousers, remained impassive in his seat as United’s players celebrated in the corner.
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Christian Eriksen flashed wide from just outside the box in the seventh minute after more incisive work from Diallo.
But Ipswich responded well, creating openings of their own and looking the more dangerous team as the half wore on.
The home side should have been level in the 40th minute but Andre Onana somehow kept out a close-range effort from Liam Delap with a strong right hand before Cajuste flashed over the bar.
Ipswich got the equaliser they deserved just before half-time when Hutchinson hit a stinging shot that skimmed off the head of Noussair Mazraoui and beyond the diving Onana.
The watching Ed Sheeran celebrated wildly in the stands among the 30,000-strong crowd.
Garnacho had a chance to put United back ahead in the opening moments of the second half but Arijanet Muric got down to his left to keep out the shot.
Onana saved well with his foot from a Delap flick from close range before Cajuste produced a perfectly timed challenge at the other end to cut out a Garnacho pass to Rashford after a swift break.
Amorim threw on Luke Shaw and Manuel Ugarte for Jonny Evans and Casemiro about 10 minutes after the restart but United continued to labour against a team with just one Premier League win all season.
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He later introduced forwards Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee to add fresh legs to his attack.
Fernandes hit a free-kick just wide of the post from a central area and Onana saved from Conor Chaplin at the other end but neither side found the quality to earn the win.
Amorim is United’s sixth permanent appointment since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after leading to the team to a 20th English title.
At 39, he is the youngest United boss since Wilf McGuinness followed Matt Busby in 1969.
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