Liverpool move seven points clear

Liverpool moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League as goals by Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah gave them a tense 2-1 win against struggling Wolves on Sunday.

Arne Slot’s side got back on track after an unexpectedly poor week thanks to Diaz’s first goal in 2025 and yet another Salah strike.

Diaz opened the scoring early in the first half at Anfield as the Colombian forward finally scored for the 13th time this term after 10 games without a goal.

While Diaz has struggled to find the net, Salah is in red-hot form and his penalty before the interval took the Egypt star to 28 goals in all competitions this season.

Matheus Cunha netted in the second half for fourth-bottom Wolves, but although Liverpool looked tired in a disjointed, nervous, climax, they held on for a valuable victory.

Liverpool had gone two games without a win: an embarrassing FA Cup fourth round loss at second tier Plymouth last weekend and the stormy 2-2 draw at Everton on Wednesday.

Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Leicester on Saturday had applied a little more pressure on Liverpool.

The Reds responded to Arsenal’s challenge as they moved a step closer to a record-equalling 20th English title.

Liverpool, who last won the Premier League in 2020, will be within touching distance of the crown if they take maximum points from trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City before hosting Newcastle over the course of the next 10 days.

Liverpool boss Slot was in the dug-out despite being charged with abusive behaviour after angrily approaching referee Michael Oliver on the pitch following the Merseyside derby.

Slot was furious that James Tarkowski’s stoppage-time equaliser was not disallowed because of a possible push by Toffees striker Beto on Reds defender Ibrahima Konate.

Slot had urged Liverpool to use their “anger” from the painful end to the Everton game as fuel to get back on track against Wolves.

They didn’t have to wait long to light the fuse as Diaz bagged his first league goal at Anfield since September.

Liverpool dig deep 

In the 15th minute, Diaz picked out Salah and his return pass took a wicked deflection off Toti Gomes.

Diaz stumbled forward to chest the ball past Wolves keeper Jose Sa as it barely trickled over the line.

It was hardly a work of art but Diaz wasn’t complaining about the scruffy nature of the strike.

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai nearly netted with a more eye-catching effort, striding forward with purpose before drilling a low shot just wide.

The Reds were rampant and Sa repelled Jota’s drive at the near post after Robertson’s cross caused panic in the Wolves defence.

Wolves couldn’t stem the tide as Liverpool went further ahead in the 37th minute.

Wolves claimed Emmanuel Agbadou was pushed by Diaz before he raced into the area and was tripped by Sa.

But VAR ignored their protests and Salah flicked the penalty down the middle with a flamboyant flourish.

Salah has seven goals in his last six games, underlining his immense value to Liverpool as his contract winds towards its conclusion at the end of the season.

Wolves debutant Marshall Munetsi wasted a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit early in the second half.

Munetsi was sent clean through by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, but Alisson Becker raced off his line to make a fine save.

Jota appeared to have won a penalty when Agbadou’s challenge sent him sprawling, but VAR overturned the decision as replays showed he had dived.

Liverpool had lost their momentum and Cunha took advantage, evading Ryan Gravenberch and curling a superb finish into the far corner in the 67th minute.

That set up a fraught finale for Liverpool, who had to dig deep to secure a fourth win in their last five league games.

Tottenham beat Man Utd in battle of Premier League strugglers

Tottenham won the battle of the Premier League’s underachievers 1-0 on Sunday to inflict another dismal result on Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.

James Maddison scored the only goal on 13 minutes as Spurs moved above United in the table into 12th thanks to a third win over the Red Devils this season.

Victory eased the pressure on under-fire Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou after exiting both domestic cup competitions this month to go with their lowly league position.

United now find themselves down in 15th, but do enjoy a 12-point cushion over the bottom three.

“The place in the table is my worry, I am not worried about me,” said Amorim, who has won just four of 14 Premier League games since taking charge in November.

“I hate to lose. That feeling is the worst. The rest I am not thinking about.

“I understand my situation, my job, I am confident in my work and I just want to win games.”

Tottenham’s first home league win since November came amid a spirit of revolt among their support.

Before kick-off and after the match Spurs fans again vented their frustration towards owners ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy.

A huge banner read “24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy – Time for change” as a sizeable contingent of the home crowd joined a protest calling for Levy to go.

However, the mood for Postecoglou was lifted even before kick-off as he was able to welcome back a host of first-team regulars who have been sidelined by injury.

‘Quality players’ return 

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made his first appearance since November. Maddison returned to  the starting line-up, while Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert were on the bench.

“They are quality players. We’ve had it pretty tough the last two-and-a-half months,” said Postecoglou. “It was important for us to win and gain some traction.

“I certainly feel there is still a massive opportunity for us in this back half of the season and hopefully today is the start of that.”

United have their own injury troubles with Amad Diallo joining Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines for the rest of the season and Kobbie Mainoo ruled out for a month.

Amorim had to name eight teenagers among his nine substitutes, forcing Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee to start together up front after both were overlooked for United’s last league game – a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.

Hojlund had the first chance when he fired too close to Vicario before the Italian flew to his left to deny Alejandro Garnacho.

Instead, Spurs got the opener when Andre Onana could only parry Lucas Bergvall’s shot into the path of Maddison, who tapped into an empty net for his 10th goal of the season.

United should have been at least level by half-time as Garnacho blazed over a glorious opportunity with just Vicario to beat after being picked out by Bruno Fernandes.

Vicario continued to frustrate Garnacho with another fine save after the break.

Zirkzee wasted a huge chance to equalise 20 minutes from time when the Dutch international headed Noussair Mazraoui’s cross wide with the goal gaping.

But United’s inability to put the ball in the net comes as little surprise.

Only the bottom three plus Everton have scored fewer than United’s 28 goals in 25 league games this season.

At the other end, Onana kept the visitors in the game by parrying Dejan Kulusevski’s powerful effort.

But even Spurs’ makeshift backline could not be breached by Amorim’s men to allow Postecoglou to see some light at the end of the tunnel.