Please register to access this content.
To continue viewing the content you love, please sign in or create a new account
Dismiss
This content is for our paying subscribers only

Sport Football

Liverpool hit late double to preserve Premier League home record

High-flying Aston Villa battle back to draw against Bournemouth on a dramatic afternoon



Liverpool's defender Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrates after scoring their fourth goal during the Premier League match against Fulham at Anfield in Liverpool on Sunday.
Image Credit: AFP

London: Liverpool produced a sensational finish to beat Fulham in a seven-goal thriller on Sunday as high-flying Aston Villa battled back to draw against Bournemouth on a dramatic afternoon in the Premier League.

Ten-man Chelsea shrugged off a red card for captain Conor Gallagher to edge Brighton 3-2 while West Ham drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace.

Champions Manchester City are in action against Tottenham later on Sunday, seeking to cut Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to just one point.

Liverpool appeared set for a rare and damaging home defeat but turned the tables on Fulham at Anfield with two late goals to close within two points of the top of the table.

Trent Alexander-Arnold helped set Liverpool on their way in the 20th minute, crashing a free-kick off the underside of the bar and into the net via the unfortunate Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno for an own goal.

Advertisement
AFC Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke scores their second goal during a Premier League match against Aston Villa at Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
Image Credit: Reuters

But the visitors were level just four minutes later when Harry Wilson poked Antonee Robinson’s cross past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, standing in for the injured Alisson Becker.

Alexis Mac Allister produced a moment of magic to restore Liverpool’s lead, lashing a drive into the top corner from distance for his first goal for the club but Kenny Tete pounced from close range shortly before half-time to level.

Fulham looked set for a sensational victory when they scored in the 80th minute, with substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid leaping highest.

However, Liverpool were not finished. Mohamed Salah blasted over from close range as the home side pushed for an equaliser, but he then turned provider for Wataru Endo, who found the net from the edge of the box in the 87th minute.

Advertisement

A minute later they were ahead again when Alexander-Arnold drove the ball home after the ball fell to him just inside the box, sparking wild scenes at Anfield.

Vital Chelsea win

Chelsea recorded just their second Premier League home win of the season against Brighton, despite being reduced to 10 men before half-time.

Chelsea were cruising midway through first half after goals from Enzo Fernandez and Levi Colwill.

Facundo Buonanotte halved the deficit for the visitors shortly before half-time but there was still time for Gallagher to pick up a second yellow card, changing the complexion of the match.

Chelsea were awarded a penalty when James Milner was adjudged to have fouled Mykhailo Mudryk and Fernandez made no mistake to restore Chelsea’s two-goal cushion.

Advertisement

Joao Pedro pulled a goal back in the 92nd minute to ramp up the pressure on Chelsea and the home fans’ hearts were in their mouths when Brighton were awarded a penalty for a handball by Colwill in the 101st minute.

But the referee reversed the on-field decision after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor and Chelsea held on.

Ollie Watkins headed home a cross from Moussa Diaby in the 90th minute to rescue a point for Aston Villa, who remain in fourth place.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring early before a fine individual goal from Leon Bailey.

Dominic Solanke put the home side back ahead early in the second half and Bournemouth looked like hanging on for a win before Watkins’ late equaliser.

Advertisement

At the London Stadium, Mohammed Kudus put West Ham ahead in the first half, before Odsonne Edouard equalised in the second period to earn a point for Crystal Palace.

Advertisement