Liverpool back to winning ways as they get three past Arsenal / Tottenham held by Newcastle Updated for April 2024

Updated: 16 January

EPL Matchday 30 of 38:

Arsenal 0 Liverpool 3

Diogo Jota scored twice and Mohamed Salah added one more as Liverpool climbed to the 5th spot on the Premier League table and came to within two points of Chelsea. Hosts Arsenal were on the backfoot for all of the first half as Liverpool took control of the game from the very outset.

It was a wonder that they kept out the visiting Reds for 64 minutes at all – that was when Jurgen Klopp's side got their first goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold, omitted from England's squad for the World Cup qualifiers showed his worth when he executed a perfect aerial cross for Jota to head home.

Salah doubled the lead in the 68th minute from a wonderful solo effort, shrugging off a Gabriel challenge on the right before driving in a right-footed shot past Bernd Leno at the near post. Jota found his second of the evening in the 82nd minute after some dreadful Arsenal defending saw the ball being given away with the Portuguese sweeping home at the far post.

Following their victories over RB Leipzig and Wolverhampton before the international break, the Reds have now achieved three consecutive victories for the first time since October. After an extremely below par season that saw them losing six back-to-back games in a dismal phase, things seem to be falling in place for the Premier League title-holders even without key long-term absentees Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Jordan Henderson.

[su_quote]About Arsenal's performance at the Emirates – less said the better. The only shot they could land on target was a straightforward effort by Cedric Soares in the second half that went straight to keeper Alisson who barely had to move during the entire game.[/su_quote]

Mikel Arteta's men can see their hopes of even an Europa League entry evaporating now that they are 4 points behind 8th-placed Everton, who have two games in hand and look to widen the gap with the Gunners in the games ahead.

Newcastle 2 Tottenham Hotspur 2

On-loan Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock salvaged a point for Newcastle with a late strike as Tottenham were held 2-2 by the Magpies at St. James Park on Sunday. Spurs missed a chance to break into the top four even as Harry Kane scored two quickfire first-half goals.

In a lively first half, Newcastle almost took the lead in the 19th minute but Hugo Lloris pulled off a stunning double save to thwart Dwight Gayle from close range.

The Magpies eventually took the lead when Joelinton fired in from a lovely through pass from Sean Longstaff with 28 minutes gone. The Magpies' joy was short-lived as Spurs responded within 90 seconds of their opener.

A poor clearance by Newcastle right-back Emil Krafth inside the area allowed an alert Kane to pounce in and prod home for his 18th goal of the season. Kane added one more for Spurs 4 minutes later when he latched on to a beautiful reverse pass from Tanguy Ndombele and finished clinically past Martin Dubravka from the right-hand edge of the box.

Both sides had sights of goals in the second-half with Japhet Tanganga's header being cleared off the line and Joelinton's close-range nod going wide. Kane could have sealed the game for the visitors with only five minutes remaining as his shot came off the post.

[su_quote]That really proved costly for Jose Mourinho's men as Newcastle found the equalizer in the 85th minute. Willock was quick to react from a Miguel Almiron effort that was cleared off the line as he fired the ball into the roof of the net.[/su_quote]

Tottenham inched to 49 points after the draw, 2 points behind 4th placed Chelsea while Steve Bruce's Newcastle still remain three points away from relegation in the 17th spot.

Results from other matches of Sunday, 4 April 2021

• Manchester United 2, Brighton & Hove 1
• Aston Villa 3, Fulham 1

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