LONDON – Liverpool forward Luis Diaz scored in the first half before Mohamed Salah struck from the penalty spot after the hour mark as the team comfortably beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 in the English Premier League.
Liverpool’s win at Brighton’s Amex Stadium was their eighth straight victory in the competition as Jurgen Klopp’s second-placed side cut the gap between themselves and league leaders Manchester City to three points.
Diaz put the visitors in front by heading in a pass from Joel Matip before Salah scored from the spot, following a handball by Yves Bissouma, for Liverpool’s 2,000th Premier League goal.
Salah has reached 20 goals in a Premier League season for the fourth time.
Liverpool endured some nervy moments towards the end of the match, but goalkeeper Alisson kept out efforts from substitutes Danny Welbeck and Solly March.
Klopp said it is up to Salah whether he signs a new deal, a claim that was followed by the Egypt forward’s agent tweeting a series of laughing emojis just minutes later.
Salah’s long-term value to Liverpool is immense, but of more immediate concern to Klopp will be the knock that saw him replaced by Diogo Jota soon after his first goal in four games.
With a testing trip to Arsenal looming on Wednesday followed by an FA Cup quarterfinal at Nottingham Forest, Klopp will hope his star makes a quick recovery.
“Something was not right. I think there was a situation where his foot got stretched. We’ll have to see,” Klopp said.
Elsewhere, Cristiano Ronaldo became the all-time leading men’s goalscorer in football history as his brilliant hat-trick inspired Manchester United’s crucial 3-2 win against Tottenham.
onaldo had netted just once in his previous 10 games amid speculation that the Portugal striker was considering his future after less than a season of his second spell with United.
The 37-year-old’s commitment was questioned when he reportedly jetted to Portugal last weekend rather than watch his team after being ruled out of their 4-1 defeat at Manchester City with a hip injury.
Even United interim boss Ralf Rangnick conceded he didn’t know if Ronaldo was happy at the club.
But Ronaldo proved his commitment to the United cause with a superb display to single-handedly dispatch Tottenham at Old Trafford.
With recently retired NFL legend Tom Brady watching from the stands, Ronaldo bagged his first United treble since 2008.
His brilliant 25-yard drive put United ahead in the 12th minute before Harry Kane equalised with a 35th-minute penalty awarded for Alex Telles’ handball.
Ronaldo restored United’s lead three minutes later from Jadon Sancho’s cross, but Harry Maguire’s 72nd-minute own goal threatened to ruin his evening.
However, Ronaldo headed home from Telles’ corner in the 81st minute to claim his 807th career goal, making him the top-scoring men’s player in history, according to Fifa statistics, as he surpassed Josef Bican.
Ronaldo’s heroics earned a standing ovation from Brady and lifted United into fourth place, while Tottenham are five points behind them in seventh.
Ronaldo lays claim to all-time leading scorer record on 807 goals
Ralf Rangnick admitted managing Cristiano Ronaldo is “challenging” after the 37-year-old rolled back the years with a hat-trick to beat Tottenham 3-2 and keep Manchester United’s chances of playing in the Champions League next season alive.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had scored just once in his previous 10 games, but three fantastic finishes took him clear as the highest scorer in professional men’s football history according to Fifa’s records with 807 goals for club and country.
Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford has so far proven to be an anti-climax with his poor form sparking debate over whether his powers are waning.
He missed United’s thrashing in the Manchester derby last weekend and was criticised for a perceived lack of commitment as he jetted off to Portugal to rehab a hip injury rather than watch his teammates lose 4-1 at the Etihad after reports he would have been dropped by Rangnick even if fit.
“It is challenging with players like him but he showed today he still has the quality to play for Manchester United,” said Rangnick. “He’s part of the team and if we want to be successful we have to do it together.”
“Today it was his best performance, at least since I arrived. Not only because he scored three goals, but he was also energetically good today and part of the whole team when we had to defend. A top performance by him, but also the rest of the team.”
Victory lifts United back into fourth, although they are just two points ahead of Arsenal who have four games in hand.
A fifth defeat in eight league games is another blow to Tottenham’s hopes of a top-four finish as they remain seventh, now five points behind United.
“It’s difficult to explain this loss,” said Spurs manager Antonio Conte. “I think we didn’t deserve to lose, but at the same time we need to understand how we can improve.”
In front of seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, Ronaldo was keen to show his own greatness as he was restored to Rangnick’s starting line-up as one of five changes with Bruno Fernandes the notable absentee due to illness.
It took just 12 minutes for him to make his mark with a stunning strike into the top corner from outside the box.
However, United failed to build on the early goal and were instead forced back in a familiar pattern to previous home games this season against stronger opposition.
A Tottenham equaliser seemed only a matter of time and was gifted to them when Alex Telles handled Dejan Kulusevski’s cross for a clear penalty.
Harry Kane smashed home the resulting spot-kick to continue his fine form for his sixth goal in as many games.
Within three minutes, though, United were back in front thanks to a landmark goal for Ronaldo.
He turned home Jadon Sancho’s inviting cross to surpass Austria-Czech striker Josef Bican as football’s all-time record goalscorer according to Fifa’s records.
United’s defensive deficiencies meant Ronaldo’s work was not done to win the game as Spurs enjoyed the better of the second half.
When a second equaliser arrived for Conte’s men it was thanks to more misery for United captain Harry Maguire.
Consistent errors from the England international have played a huge part in his side’s struggles this season and he turned into his own net from Sergio Reguilon’s cross.
Conte screamed for focus from his side on the sideline, but they succumbed again to Ronaldo’s predatory instincts.
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