EPL wrap: Reds hit Leeds for six to close gap on City, Spurs stunned

Liverpool crushed Leeds 6-0 to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to three points, while Tottenham’s top four bid was rocked by a 1-0 defeat at Burnley on Wednesday.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp believes his side must win every game for the rest of the season to pip City to the title.
That ambitious goal can’t be ruled out on Liverpool’s current form and Leeds were no match for the title chasers at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah netted twice from the penalty spot either side of a Joel Matip goal.
Sadio Mane bagged a brace in the second half and Virgil Van Dijk completed the rout.
Liverpool have won their last nine games in all competitions, with none more important than this success in their game in hand on City.
City were 12 points ahead of Liverpool just a few weeks ago, but that lead has quickly been whittled away by a combination of the Reds’ blistering streak and a couple of blips from the champions.
Klopp admits he enjoys being a pain in the “lower back” to City as Liverpool refuse to let their title rivals pull away.
The stage is set for a titanic battle with 12 games left for both teams as City aim for their fourth English crown in five seasons and Liverpool look to win their second in the last three.
Despite the League Cup final against Chelsea looming on Sunday, the title is Klopp’s priority and he recalled Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson among five change from the win against Norwich.
Robertson was involved when Liverpool took the lead in the 15th minute.
Leeds defender Stuart Dallas was adjudged to have blocked the Scot’s cross with his arm, conceding a penalty that Salah calmly converted for his 26th club goal this season.
Matip was the unlikely source of Liverpool’s second goal in the 30th minute.
The Cameroon defender advanced from the back and exchanged passes with Salah before dinking an expert finish past Illan Meslier for his first goal since December 2020.
Five minutes later, Luke Ayling conceded a penalty with a foul on Mane and Salah drilled high into the net for his second of the night.
Mane made no mistake from Jordan Henderson’s pass in the 80th minute and the Senegal star scored again from close-range in stoppage-time.
Van Dijk’s header capped Liverpool’s biggest win this season.
Leeds have lost seven of their past 10 league games and are only three points above the relegation zone.
On a wet and windy night at Turf Moor, Harry Kane started for Tottenham despite hurting his back while scoring twice in Saturday’s epic 3-2 win at Manchester City.
But Tottenham reverted to the kind of erratic display that has frustrated their fans so often in recent seasons.
Kane hit the bar early in the second half and fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area moments later.
But it was Burnley who made the breakthrough in the 71st minute when Ben Mee met Josh Brownhill’s free-kick with a far-post header past Hugo Lloris.
Tottenham remain in stuck in eighth place, seven points adrift of the top four as their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League begin to fade.
It was a second successive victory for third bottom Burnley, who are now just two points from safety with a game in hand.
Crystal Palace enjoyed a 4-1 win over Watford at the expense of their former boss Roy Hodgson.
Hodgson recently returned to management after leaving Palace at the end of last season and is aiming to save Watford from relegation.
But Palace’s first victory in seven league games kept Watford marooned in the bottom three.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s 15th minute shot deflected in off Kiko Femenia before Moussa Sissoko headed Watford’s equaliser.
Conor Gallagher restored Palace’s advantage three minutes before half-time at Vicarage Road.
Wilfried Zaha wrapped up the points with two goals in the last five minutes.
AFP

Man Utd escape with a draw after Elanga pegs back Atletico
Manchester United were spared a damaging and deserved defeat by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday as Anthony Elanga’s late goal rescued them a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Champions League last 16.
Atletico outplayed a sluggish United for the majority of the match at the Wanda Metropolitano and might have considered Joao Felix’s early goal scant reward heading into the second leg at Old Trafford in three weeks’ time.
But rather than extend their advantage, Atletico squandered it, Elanga racing onto a Bruno Fernandes through ball and applying a cool finish with 10 minutes left to earn United a draw that felt like a victory.
Atletico’s Sime Vrsaljko had already hit the crossbar at the end of the first half and Antoine Griezmann was also denied a late winner by the woodwork after Elanga’s equaliser.
But while United will breathe a sigh of relief at the result, this was another performance to prompt serious concerns about their progress and direction under interim coach Ralf Rangnick.
In the first half, they failed to register a single touch in the Atletico Madrid box, the first time that has happened to a United side in the Champions League since at least 2005.
Cristiano Ronaldo was up against a familiar foe in Atletico, with 25 goals in 35 games against Diego Simeone’s team and 10 in his last 10, including three hat-tricks.
But the Portuguese cut a frustrated and isolated figure up front, his biggest contribution as a target for the enthusiastic whistling and booing from the Atletico supporters.
Both Rangnick and Simeone have a veteran scorer whose needs perhaps come at the expense of the team, but while Rangnick started the 37-year-old Ronaldo, Simeone dropped the 35-year-old Luis Suarez, with Felix and Angel Correa named up front instead.
Ronaldo was whistled before kick-off, along with former Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane, and a fervent atmosphere provided the backdrop for a scintillating Atletico start.
United were nervy as Harry Maguire needlessly headed behind for an Atletico corner before an anxious Fernandes touch allowed Jose Gimenez a shot at goal but Victor Lindelof made an excellent block.
United looked uncomfortable playing out from the back and it was from a skewed David de Gea clearance that Atletico won a corner. United headed away but Renan Lodi swung in a brilliant cross from the left and Felix was there to meet it, his fine diving header flying in off the post.
Atletico were faster, hungrier and firmer in their approach. They kept robbing United of possession but lacked the final pass. United grew frustrated, Ronaldo in particular, and for 10 minutes the game was diverted to his histrionics, the boos and whistles growing louder.
It could have been worse at half-time as Vrsaljko headed against the crossbar, Lodi’s cross coming quick to him at the back post but the net was gaping.
United improved and there was a period around the hour-mark when Atletico seemed to be ceding control. There were precious few chances though and when Ronaldo curled a free-kick harmlessly over, Atletico looked close to victory.
Instead, United put together their best and, only, fluid move of the match as the ball was popped through midfield before Fernandes threaded Elanga through. Atletico’s Reinildo Mandava committed himself but fell, allowing Elanga to skip clear and send an excellent finish rolling into the far corner.
Griezmann, on as a substitute, curled against the crossbar with four minutes left but a deflated Atletico were unable to restore their advantage.
AFP