London, March 9: Liverpool’s dominance in the Premier League continues to grow as they extended their lead at the top of the table to 16 points following a commanding 3-1 victory over Southampton at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah, in blistering form, moved seven goals clear in the race for the Golden Boot after converting two second-half penalties. His 26th and 27th goals of the season helped seal Liverpool’s ninth consecutive league win, leaving little doubt that their record-equalling 20th English top-flight title is within reach.
While second-placed Arsenal has two games in hand, Liverpool’s relentless march suggests it is only a matter of time before they are crowned champions. With nine games remaining, the Reds are unlikely to require all of them to secure the title.
Salah’s prolific campaign has placed him alongside some of the Premier League’s greatest goal scorers. With 184 league goals, he is now tied with Sergio Aguero at fifth place on the all-time scoring list. The Egyptian forward, who previously won the Golden Boot outright in 2017-18 and shared the accolade in 2018-19 and 2021-22, remains on course for yet another scoring triumph.
Liverpool Not Holding Back Ahead of PSG Clash
The victory over Southampton came between Liverpool’s two-legged Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
Holding a 1-0 advantage after the first leg in Paris, manager Arne Slot resisted the temptation to rest key players ahead of Tuesday’s return match at Anfield. Salah played the full game, while Darwin Nunez, who assisted Harvey Elliott’s winner in France, started and found the net in the 51st minute to cancel out Will Smallbone’s first-half stoppage-time goal.
Nunez also won the first of Liverpool’s two penalties, which Salah slotted home in the 54th minute. The Egyptian forward then secured the win with another penalty in the 88th, following a handball decision.“The manager’s head was going for us at halftime, but it’s something you need sometimes,” Salah said. “The first half was sloppy, and we were slow.”Meanwhile, Southampton remains rooted to the bottom of the table.
Forest’s CL Dream Gains Momentum
Nottingham Forest’s improbable push for Champions League qualification gained momentum with a crucial 1-0 win over a top-four contender at the City Ground. Callum Hudson-Odoi struck the decisive goal in the 83rd minute, drilling a shot past the goalkeeper at the near post. Just minutes earlier, he had seen a curling effort tipped onto the post.
“I knew I’d get another chance, and that one went in, so I’m buzzing,” Hudson-Odoi said after securing a result that keeps Forest firmly in the race for a top-four finish.Last season, Forest was fighting relegation and finished a staggering 59 points behind the top teams. Now, with 10 games left, they find themselves in contention for a historic return to Europe’s elite competition, which they famously won in 1979 and 1980 under Brian Clough.
Narrow Wins for Brighton and Aston Villa
Brighton secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Fulham thanks to Joao Pedro’s penalty deep into stoppage time. The victory lifted Brighton to sixth place, level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea.
The Seagulls have been in scintillating form, winning six consecutive matches across all competitions since a heavy defeat at Nottingham Forest in early February. (AP)
