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Alexis Mac Allister scored a stunning goal to help Liverpool beat Sheffield United 3-1 and reclaim top spot in the English Premier League.
Darwin Nunez had given Jurgen Klopp’s team a first-half lead at Anfield on Thursday (Friday AEDT), but Sheffield United were gifted a way back into the game through Conor Bradley’s own goal after the break.
With Liverpool in danger of dropping points in the race for the title, Mac Allister eased the tension when he blasted a long-range effort into the top corner in the 76th minute.
The game was put beyond doubt when substitute Cody Gakpo headed in a third in the 90th.
Liverpool next face Manchester United, who lost 4-3 to Chelsea despite leading 3-2 after 99 minutes and 17 seconds, the latest a side have ever led in a Premier League match and gone on to lose. The winning goal was the latest winner scored in Premier League history, timed at 100 minutes 39 seconds.
Liverpool moved two points clear of Arsenal at the top, but they had to dig deep against last-placed Sheffield United.
The Merseyside club needed a touch of fortune to take the lead in the 17th minute after Sheffield goalkeeper Ivo Grbic’s attempted clearance was blocked by the jump of Nunez.
The forward had his back to the ball, but it ricocheted off him and past Grbic before rolling into the empty net.
After the break, the visitors were given an unexpected route back when Bradley diverted Gustavo Hamer’s header into his own net in the 58th minute.
But Mac Allister swung the match in Liverpool’s favour with his lashed effort, and he could have added another when he hit the bar with a free kick late on, before Gakpo’s header sealed the result.
Darwin Nunez celebrates after scoring the opening goal. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dyke was full of praise for the Mac attack.
“I was looking from just behind him and it was a great strike,” he said. “When we conceded we changed into a completely different team and started attacking and creating a lot more chances.
“We have to start games much better, more aggressive. That is something we need to work on. It is all about the points at this stage, we can’t drop any. It is never easy to play against a low block. You have to play fast and get runners in behind. We didn’t do that well.”
Boyhood United fan Cole Palmer scored a hat-trick as Chelsea came back in the final minutes to stun Manchester United in the later kick off.
Deep into stoppage time it looked like the visitors were going to walk away with a morale-boosting win after recovering from a disastrous start.
United had come back from going 2-0 down early through a goal from Conor Gallagher and Palmer’s penalty.
Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes evened the score at 2-2 before halftime, and Garnacho headed his team in front after the break.
But Diogo Dalot’s clumsy challenge on Noni Madueke earned Chelsea a second penalty and Palmer converted in the 110th minute.
The drama wasn’t over yet. A minute later, Palmer’s effort from outside the box was deflected past Andre Onana to seal a spectacular comeback.
with AAP
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