EPL week 33 review: Salah ends six-game drought; Liverpool back on top

Week 33 of the English Premier League sees Mohamed Salah end his six-game drought by scoring in a 3-1 that sends Liverpool to the top of the table.

As Manchester City players contemplate their 18 May FA Cup warble, Liverpool returned to the summit of the English Premier League (EPL) without much of a song or a dance.

Man City has a game in hand, making the two-point lead look as precarious as a rabbit in a run full of rabid rottweillers, but rest assured, Jürgen Klopp will take the points ahead of a game in hand.

Southampton started like a side that had shit the bed with a goal on eight minutes. Shane Long was only in the team because loanee Danny Ings was illegible to compete against the club that pays his wages, but it didn’t stop the ring rusty Irishmen getting on the end of a Pierre-Emile Hojberg flick-on before finishing with ease from six-yards out. It was Long’s 50th EPL goal, and his first start since February.

The lead lasted as long as it took for the Saints to score it.

Mohamed Salah found space on the right-hand side of the penalty area, and Naiby Keity’s met his chipped cross powerfully enough to squeeze into the net through Angus Gunn’s hands.

1-1.

That’s how the scoreboard looked with ten minutes remaining. Not that Liverpool fans were sweating. Klopp’s boys have scored 20 goals in the final 15-minutes of matches, more than any other side in the EPL, and Friday night was no exception.

With Liverpool facing a corner, Salah was the only chess piece left anywhere near the Southampton half. It’s all Liverpool needed. The ball broke to the Egyptian, who sprinted the length of the field, stopping only to wheel away in delight after scoring for the first time in six games.

Salah’s superb strike arrived on the 80-minute mark, and six minutes later Jordan Henderson came off the bench to put the game beyond doubt after getting on the end of Roberto Firmino’s pass to finish with aplomb.

Man City will return to the top if they beat Crystal Palace on Sunday, but Liverpool can knock them straight back down if they overcome Chelsea in Sunday’s final match.

Southampton, who drop to the precipice of the relegation zone five points clear of Cardiff, after this defeat, are once again at home where they face Wolves on Saturday afternoon.

The Best of the Rest

Arsenal failed to take the opportunity to move into third place, two points clear of Spurs, and three clear of Chelsea and five clear of Manchester United after losing to a rare Phil Jagielka goal in a one-nil loss at Goodison Park.

The 2015-16 Champions, Leicester, moved into seventh place after hammering relegated Huddersfield by four goals to one in the John Smith’s Stadium. Jamie Vardy bagged a brace in that one, including one from the penalty spot.

The bookies have moved Burnley out to a 20/1 relegation candidate after an excellent 3-1 win at Bournemouth. An own goal from Ashley Barnes gave the Cherries the early lead, but goals from Chris Wood, Ashley Westwood and Ashley Barnes (at the right end), see Burnley move eight points clear of Cardiff. Crystal Palace fans can forget about their relegation concerns after a late Luka Milivojević penalty stole the three points against Newcastle at St James Park in a 1-0 win.

EPL Wk 33 Results

Southampton 1 v 3 Liverpool
Huddersfield 1 v 4 Leicester
Newcastle 0 v 1 Crystal Palace
Bournemouth 1 v 3 Burnley
Everton 1 v 0 Arsenal

To Be Played

Chelsea v West Ham (Monday)

EPL Standings

1. Liverpool – 82
2. Man City – 80
3. Spurs – 64
4. Arsenal – 63
5. Chelsea – 63
6. Man Utd – 61
7. Leicester – 47
8. Wolves – 47
9. Everton. – 46
10. Watford – 46
11. West Ham – 42
12. Crystal Palace – 39
13. Bournemouth – 38
14. Burnley – 36
15. Newcastle – 35
16. Brighton – 33
17. Southampton – 33
18. Cardiff – 28
19. Fulham – 17 (R)
20. Huddersfield – 14 (R)