Liverpool were back at their lethal best to beat Crystal Palace 4-0 at Anfield on Wednesday, moving within two points of securing the Premier League title after 30 years.
After the goalless Merseyside derby at Everton on Sunday, they came roaring back in their first home game since the campaign was halted to beat Palace with absolute ease. Anfield may have been home to only around 300 people but Liverpool played with familiar intensity.
“We’ve worked hard for this over the past few years and as a squad this is what we’ve dreamed of. We’re in a good position so hopefully we’ll be able to get across the line pretty soon,” said right back Alexander-Arnold.
Perfect win for the reds
Palace, who lost Wilfried Zaha to an early injury, went behind on 23 minutes when Trent Alexander-Arnold curled in a brilliant free-kick back into the net.
Mohamed Salah converted Fabinho’s pass over the Palace defence a minute before half-time to put Liverpool 2-0 ahead.
Fabinho then added a third at Anfield on 55 minutes with a spectacular strike from 30 yards out.
Sadio Mane finished the game in the 69th minute, receiving Salah’s brilliant first-time through-ball before slotting past Wayne Hennessey to make it 4-0 for the Reds.
The top two
Pos | Team | Pl | GD | Pts |
1 | LIV | 31 | 49 | 86 |
2 | MCI | 30 | 45 | 63 |
Long awaited title drought finally coming to an end
Liverpool’s last top-flight league title, their 18th, came in 1989-90, when Sir Kenny Dalglish led them to victory.
Since then the closest they have come is last season, when Jurgen Klopp’s side amassed a remarkable 97 points but were beaten by a single point by Pep Guardiola’s City.
This season has not been less than a fairytale for the reds ,though they were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid, they have been brilliant in the Premier League-lost just one game throughout the season and dominated like a king.
“Tonight was a big step, that’s clear,” Klopp told BBC. “We’ve all still got to play seven games, if we play like this it’s really not nice to play against us.
Talking about their next match against the former champions City, Klopp said “I have to watch the game tomorrow because we play them one week later. That’s being professional and doing my job.”
Liverpool have 86 points from 31 games with City 23 points behind ahead of their trip to Chelsea.