Premier League: Liverpool get back on track with win over Spurs; Chelsea run riot against West Ham
Liverpool finally found some form in a 4-2 Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in much-loved manager Jurgen Klopp’s penultimate game at Anfield.
Strikes from Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott secured a much needed victory for Klopp’s men, who had won one of their previous five league games and seen their title challenge crumble.
While still mathematically in with a chance finishing top of the pile, they are five points off leaders Arsenal in the table with two games remaining and four points behind holders Manchester City, who have a game in hand over both.
Liverpool talisman Salah, who had a touchline row with Klopp in last week’s 2-2 draw with West Ham United, headed home his 18th league goal of the season when he sprinted onto Gakpo’s diagonal cross to the far post in the 16th minute.
Robertson doubled their lead with a tap-in just before halftime after keeper Guglielmo Vicario saved an initial shot from Salah.
Gakpo headed in Elliott’s cross in the 50th, then the midfielder bagged his own with a rocket from 20 yards out that curled into the top corner.
Richarlison and Son Heung-min pulled two back to make for a lively ending, but a comeback was not on the cards for Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs who are fifth in the table.
The score could have further favoured Liverpool who had 13 shots on target to Spurs’ six.
Salah, who was back in the starting line-up after coming off the bench last week, struck the crossbar in the first half and then missed a sitter in the 77th minute, tugging his jersey over his face in frustration. He had a goal chalked off deep in stoppage time as Darwin Nunez was offside in the buildup.
Only a few weeks ago, there was talk of Liverpool hoisting several trophies in Klopp’s final season after they won the League Cup and were in the thick of the league title race.
But they were eliminated from the FA Cup and Europa League, leaving the Premier League as the final title to play for before the German manager leaves after nine years with the club.
Chelsea strengthened their chances of securing European football next season, cruising to victory against West Ham at Stamford Bridge.
It took just 15 minutes for Chelsea to get their noses in front with Cole Palmer reacting quickest to meet a loose ball in the West Ham box.
West Ham almost hit back immediately when Jarrod Bowen’s header crashed back off the crossbar, but it was one-way traffic from then on.
Chelsea doubled their lead on the half-hour mark through Conor Gallagher before Noni Madueke headed in the third six minutes later.
Nicolas Jackson struck twice in the second half to round off a wholly positive afternoon for the Blues.
With just three games left to play, Chelsea’s season seems to be heading for a strong finish as they have climbed up to seventh and sit just two points shy of sixth-placed Newcastle, while West Ham, who have two games remaining, stay ninth.
After a rocky first season under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea are starting to click and European football could still be on the agenda for next season if they keep up this momentum.
The Blues have won nine of their past 11 home Premier League outings and they are now on a four-game winning streak at Stamford Bridge, having beaten Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham and now West Ham.
They seem to be playing with greater confidence and it bodes well for the next term.
Chelsea were not asked too many questions defensively but Pochettino will also be pleased to see his side record back-to-back clean sheets in the league for the first time since February 2023.
West Ham’s confidence looks shot as their season draws to an unsatisfactory conclusion.
The Hammers have won just one of their past 10 games across all competitions, losing five, and are on course to miss out on a fourth successive season in Europe.
They have conceded 70 goals this season, including shipping five goals on four separate occasions, with only bottom three clubs Burnley (74), Luton (78) and Sheffield United (100) with a worse defensive record.
