Liverpool extend unbeaten EPL run to a year with 2-0 win over Blades

Match Report

Jan 03, 2020 08:46 am

EPL
LIVERPOOL	SHEFFIELD UNITED
2	0
(Mohamed Salah 4, Sadio Mane 64)

Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up the other on Friday morning (Jan 3, Singapore time), as Liverpool extended their unbeaten English Premier League run to a full year with a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United to restore their 13-point lead.

Salah opened the scoring in the fourth minute by finishing off a quick attack and then exchanged passes with Sadio Mane to set up his teammate for the second goal in the 64th.

Liverpool haven’t lost a league game in 364 days since a defeat by Manchester City that proved crucial in last year’s title race, when Juergen Klopp’s team finished a point back in second place.

But a first league title in 30 years is starting to look inevitable for Liverpool this year, after 19 wins from 20 games so far. Leicester are 13 points back in second place, but Liverpool also have a game in hand on their rivals.

Their next league game is at Tottenham on Jan 11.

Salah's goal was his 44th in his last 51 matches at Anfield. He nearly scored another but goalkeeper Dean Henderson reacted quickly to tip over his half-volley from Jordan Henderson’s low ball.

Both teams seemed to have tired legs from the busy festive period and Liverpool struggled to create quality chances until Mane netted the second after the Senegal interational charged forward and received a return pass from Salah. His intial shot was saved by Henderson but he followed up to blast the ball into an open net.

With the game in the bag, Klopp even had the luxury of handing 16-year-old Harvey Elliott his EPL debut for the club – although it came so late he did not touch the ball.

The only negative for Liverpool was Naby Keita sustaining a groin injury during the warm-up, reducing Klopp’s options further for Sunday’s home FA Cup derby against Everton. – AP