LIVERPOOL, UK:
Liverpool resumed their march to a second Premier League title on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over West Ham United as Mohamed Salah broke the record for most goal involvements in a season and Virgil Van Dijk scored a late winner.
After West Ham had scored an equaliser in the 86th minute, skipper Van Dijk grabbed the winner with a header three minutes later in front of the Kop to put Liverpool two wins away from the title.
The result gave Liverpool a 13-point lead over second-placed Arsenal in the standings with six games left, while West Ham are 17th with 35 points, 14 points from the relegation zone.
Prior to kickoff, a minute’s silence was held at Anfield to honour the 97 victims of the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster. But the fans were in full voice soon after, chanting Salah’s name to celebrate his two-year contract extension.
Following a bright start for the home side, Salah duly delivered the cross for the first goal – a sublime pass with the outside of his boot that curled past the last defender and gave Luis Diaz a simple tap-in at the edge of the six-yard box.
Premier League record
The opener gave Salah the record for the most goal involvements in a 38-game Premier League season – 45 consisting of 27 goals and 18 assists.
West Ham came close to an equaliser three minutes later when Mohammed Kudus found Alisson off his line and attempted a lob but the Brazilian keeper scrambled backward and tipped the shot onto the crossbar to give Liverpool a reprieve.
Alexis Mac Allister nearly doubled their lead from a free kick two minutes after the restart but saw Alphonse Areola get a hand to it as the ball rattled the crossbar.
But as West Ham grew into the game, the Anfield crowd became restless while Salah also looked visibly disappointed when he was taken off as his mini goal drought extended to five games in all competitions.
A minute later, Liverpool gifted West Ham the equaliser when a breakdown in communication saw Andy Robertson score an own goal when he tried to deal with Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross.
But Liverpool restored their lead on a corner kick when Van Dijk’s towering header beat the keeper to spark wild celebrations at Anfield.
Chelsea stumble again in Champions League hunt
Relegation-bound Ipswich Town held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, leaving the hosts looking over their shoulders in their push for a lucrative spot in next season’s Champions League.
The visitors stunned Enzo Maresca’s men – who had won their previous five home league games – when they raced into a 2-0 lead in the first half.
Despite being pinned in their half for the early stages, Ipswich’s Paraguayan striker Julio Enciso nipped in between Chelsea’s defenders to steer home a cross by right back Ben Johnson in the 19th minute.
Twelve minutes later, Enciso repaid the favour, crossing for Johnson to head home and Chelsea struggled to revive their momentum, prompting loud boos from the home supporters at the half time whistle.
An own goal by Axel Tuanzebe immediately after halftime gave Chelsea hope and substitute Jadon Sancho curled a shot into the top corner in the 79th minute, setting up a frantic finale when both side came close to snatching a winner.
Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer saved a Trevoh Chalobah effort at point blank range in the 85th minute before denying Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer in time added on.
The draw pushed Chelsea into the last of the five Champions League spots but they are only one point ahead of Newcastle United who were due to play Manchester United later on Sunday and have a further game in hand.
Ipswich remained in 18th place and are almost certain to return to the second tier next season. They are 14 points adrift of West Ham United, who are just outside the bottom three, with only six more games to play.