London, Feb 1: Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points after Mohamed Salah’s double secured a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
The Egyptian forward’s first came from the penalty spot in the 30th minute after a foul on Cody Gakpo.
Although Bournemouth threatened, with Antoine Semenyo hitting the post and Marcus Tavernier doing the same early in the second half, it was Salah’s exquisite curled effort in the 64th minute that sealed the win.
Salah’s performance lifted him to sixth in the Premier League’s all-time goalscoring list, surpassing Frank Lampard.
The win marked an unbeaten 19-game run for Liverpool under manager Arne Slot, who is chasing the club’s 20th league title.
Despite the loss, Bournemouth remains in contention for European qualification, sitting seventh.
Fulham Deny Newcastle Top Four Spot
Meanwhile, Fulham staged an impressive second-half comeback to deny Newcastle a top-four spot. After Jacob Murphy put the Magpies ahead in the 37th minute, Raul Jimenez equalised for Fulham in the 61st minute.
Rodrigo Muniz then completed the turnaround with a deft touch off an Andreas Pereira free-kick in the 82nd minute, handing Fulham a 2-1 win.
This victory secured the Cottagers their first top-flight double over Newcastle since the 2008-09 season and moved them to ninth in the table, just five points behind their opponents.
Everton Thrash Leicester with Lightning-Fast Start
Everton secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Leicester City, with Abdoulaye Doucoure scoring the fourth fastest goal in Premier League history, netting just 10.18 seconds into the match. Beto added another in the opening minutes, and after a quiet spell, sealed the game with a second-half goal. Iliman Ndiaye added a fourth late on, as Everton moved 10 points clear of the relegation zone. Leicester, on the other hand, remain in danger, just one point above the bottom three.
Southampton Bag Win over Ipswich
In a dramatic relegation battle, Southampton finally ended their winless run with a 2-1 victory over Ipswich. Joe Aribo gave Southampton the lead, only for Liam Delap to level for Ipswich before halftime. The game looked destined for a draw until substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana’s shot was parried by Ipswich’s goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric, and Paul Onuachu pounced to score the winner in the dying moments.
Despite the win, Southampton remains at the bottom of the table but hopes the victory can spark a revival in their fight for survival.
With the title race heating up, Liverpool continues to dominate, while Fulham, Everton, and Southampton all delivered crucial wins in the battle for Premier League survival.
In what has been a thrilling week of Premier League action, Liverpool’s commanding performance against Bournemouth, spearheaded by Mohamed Salah, further solidifies their status as title contenders. With the Reds extending their lead at the top, Arne Slot’s side continues to make their case for a first league title since 2019-20, demonstrating the kind of consistency and composure needed in the final stretch of the season.
While Liverpool thrives, the drama doesn’t stop there, as Fulham’s impressive second-half comeback against Newcastle adds an extra layer of intrigue to the race for the top four.
Meanwhile, Everton’s stunning 4-0 win over Leicester not only boosts their survival hopes but also highlights their attacking potency, putting them in a much stronger position to avoid relegation.
Southampton, too, found a crucial victory, bringing some much-needed hope to their relegation battle despite their ongoing struggles at the bottom. (Agencies)
EPL MATCHES TODAY
Brentford v Tottenham
– 7:30 PM
Man United v Palace
– 7:30 PM
Arsenal v Man City
– 10:00 PM