Liverpool keep up winning habit
● Manchester City succumbed to a first Premier League defeat since January in stunning fashion to newly promoted Norwich 3-2 yesterday, as Liverpool opened up a five-point lead at the top of the table by beating Newcastle 3-1.
Tottenham and Chelsea bounced back to form with comprehensive wins over Crystal Palace and Wolves respectively. Manchester United held out for a much-needed three points with a 1-0 victory over Leicester.
But Liverpool were the big winners as the gaps left in City’s defence by injured Aymeric Laporte were exposed at Carrow Road.
Kenny McLean showed up the champions’ problems with defending set-pieces with a towering header to open the scoring and Teemu Pukki then squared for Todd Cantwell to make it 2-0 inside 28 minutes.
City got a foothold in the game before half-time when Sergio Aguero headed home Bernardo Silva’s cross.
But Pep Guardiola has problems to solve at the heart of his defence as John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi gifted Norwich a third at the start of the second half.
Emiliano Buendia robbed Otamendi and set up Pukki to prod home. City rallied late on, but Rodri’s first goal for the club two minutes from time was too little, too late.
Liverpool also fell behind early to Newcastle as Jetro Willems’s brilliant finish saw the Reds trail at Anfield for the first time since March.
Sadio Mane fired into the top corner to start the revival, but the introduction of Roberto Firmino off the bench for the increased
Rashford shrugged off his recent miss from the spot in defeat to Palace to convert a penalty on eight minutes
jured Divock Origi truly turned the tide in Liverpool’s favour.
The Brazilian’s through ball was spilled by Martin Dubravka to allow Mane a simple task for his second just before half-time, and another brilliant Firmino flick teed up Salah to seal the points 18 minutes from time.
Frank Lampard enjoyed his finest day so far in charge of Chelsea with his faith in youth vindicated in a 5-2 win at Wolves.
Fikayo Tomori, 21, fired the visitors in front at Molineux with his first goal for the club before Tammy Abraham took over to take his tally to seven in his last three games with a hat-trick.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said David Beckham asked to play for his side so impressed was the former England captain with Spurs’ first-half demolition of Palace in a 4-0 win. All four goals came before half-time with Son Heung-min scoring twice either side of Patrick van Aanholt’s own goal before Erik Lamela rounded off the scoring.
United had to suffer far more for just a second win in 10 league matches.
Rashford shrugged off his recent miss from the spot in defeat to Palace to convert a penalty on eight minutes after he had been brought down by Caglar Soyuncu.
Brighton edged out Burnley 1-0 at the Amex thanks to Neil Maupay’s winner early in the second half. Southampton were 1-0 victors at Sheffield United courtesy of a brilliant strike from Moussa Djenepo.