Egyptian football player Mo Salah on target as Liverpool thrash Huddersfield
Egyptian football player Mohamed Salah was in fine form as Liverpool went top of the English Premier League table with an emphatic 5-0 victory over already relegated Huddersfield on Friday, keeping up the pressure on title rival Manchester City which has played a game less.
The “Egyptian King,” fresh from attending the Time 100 Gala in New York earlier this week, set up Naby Keita to open the scoring after just 15 seconds before finding the net himself on the stroke of halftime.
Sadio Mane grabbed himself a brace, scoring either side of Salah’s first strike with two expertly placed headers.
And Salah rounded off the scoring when he turned home Andy Robertson’s cutback in the 82nd minute to secure a 10th straight victory for Liverpool in all competitions.
Salah’s second strike was his 21st of the season in the Premier League, taking him to the top of the scoring charts, one ahead of teammate Mane and two ahead of City’s Sergio Aguero.
With just three weeks of the season remaining, Liverpool remain hopeful of a City slip-up that would hand them the advantage in the title race.
As it is, City can return to the top of the table should it defeat Burnley in its game in hand on Sunday.
Everything that you need’
Speaking to UK broadcaster Sky Sports after the match Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp refused to be drawn on whether he was hopeful Burnley could do his side a favor, instead preferring to analyze what his team did well on Friday.
“All over it was brilliant, really good performance,” Klopp said. “Composure and everything that you need was there. So really happy.”
Full-back Robertson, however, told Sky Sports that “all we can do is keep winning games and putting pressure on City.”
“If they win their games, they’ll win the league, but if they slip up we have to keep the pressure on.”
Liverpool is now two points ahead of City at the top of the table having played a game more.
Should both sides win their remaining games City would finish the season on 98 points, one point ahead of Liverpool.
As well as challenging for the Premier League, Liverpool are contenders for the Champions League and will face Barcelona in the semifinal first leg on Wednesday.
Roberto Firmino, a key part of Liverpool’s potent attacking trident alongside Salah and Mane, missed Friday’s match, replaced by Daniel Sturridge.
Klopp told reporters he remained unsure whether the Brazilian would be ready for Barcelona.
With the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho in its ranks the Catalan club will provide a far tougher and more efficient opponent than Huddersfield.
Although well beaten, the Terriers did cause Liverpool problems and were unfortunate not to have scored at least one on Friday, with Juninho Bacuna going close on a couple of occasions.
Should Liverpool afford Barcelona such opportunities, they are unlikely to be spurned.
Source: CNN
