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Mohamed Salah seals dramatic win

Mohamed Salah made history by scoring in a ninth successive match for Liverpool to earn the Reds a dramatic 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid, who had two-goal Antoine Griezmann sent off and a late penalty contentiously overturned.

In-form forward Salah opened the scoring inside eight minutes in Tuesday’s breathless Champions League tie before Naby Keita volleyed in a second five minutes later as the visitors took complete control at Wanda Metropolitano.

That was the earliest Atletico had gone two goals down in a Champions League match, though they hit back before half-time through Griezmann’s double.

Griezmann was sent off early in the second half for a high boot on Roberto Firmino and Liverpool made the man advantage count when Salah scored a second of his own from the penalty spot.

Liverpool, who were given a late reprieve when a penalty awarded for Diogo Jota’s shove on Jose Gimenez was overruled following a check of the pitchside monitor, now hold a five-point lead over Atletico and Porto at the top of Group B.

At 29 years and 130 days, Liverpool fielded their oldest starting line-up in a match since September 1953 and their experience showed in a fast start that saw them open the scoring early on.

Salah’s left-footed shot from outside the box took a deflection on its way past Jan Oblak and was later credited to the Egypt forward after some initial confusion over who the final touch came off.

Atleti continued to be pushed back and they found themselves two goals behind soon after when Felipe’s poor defensive header fell nicely for Keita to thump home with a dipping first-time shot from 18 yards.

But the home side soon settled and were back in the game thanks to a slight touch from Griezmann to help Koke’s shot into the bottom-left corner, the goal allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR check for a possible offside in the build-up.

Griezmann was then denied by Alisson when played clean through on goal, but the France international made amends by taking Joao Felix’s pass in his stride and coolly slotting past the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Alisson and Oblak continued to be called into action in a frantic end-to-end match, but momentum shifted back in Liverpool’s favour with 52 minutes played with Griezmann’s straight red card.

Jurgen Klopp’s side made a spell of pressure count 12 minutes from time as Mario Hermoso barged into Jota inside the box and Salah, who missed a penalty against Milan in Liverpool’s opening group match, buried the spot-kick.

There was still time for more drama in the Spanish capital, with referee Daniel Siebert pointing to the spot for Jota’s challenge on Gimenez, but the decision was controversially overturned before substitute Luis Suarez could step up and take the penalty.

2+1 – Antoine Griezmann is the first player in UEFA Champions League history to score twice and be sent off. Comedown.

Liverpool had failed to beat Atletico in their previous four Champions League meetings prior to this thriller – only Basel had they faced more often without winning in their proud European Cup history. The Reds did it the hard way after giving up their lead, but maintained their record of scoring at least three times away from home in every away game this term – a run that now spans seven matches – and they now have one foot in the last 16 thanks to their five-point buffer at the top.

Salah’s incredible individual strike against Watford at the weekend saw him match Sam Raybould (1902-03), John Aldridge (1987-88) and Daniel Sturridge (2013-14) in scoring in eight successive games for Liverpool. He now holds the record outright with his latest strikes, with his double meaning he has also now scored in six straight away matches for the Premier League side in Europe.

Griezmann has taken his time to get going since returning from Barcelona but had a huge say in this game, with his brace the sixth he has managed for the club in the Champions League – no other Atleti player has managed more than two.

However, his red card for a perceived high boot proved pivotal. Griezmann had every right to feel aggrieved as he had his eyes on a looping ball and did not see Firmino, whom he caught in the face, but he nevertheless became the first player in Champions League history to score twice and also be sent off in the same match.

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FIRMINO HATRICK, SALAH, MANE ON TARGET AS LIVERPOOL WHIP WATFORD IN RANIERI’S FIRST GAME

Roberto Firmino struck a hat-trick and Mohamed Salah scored for the eighth consecutive game as Liverpool delivered a masterclass in a 5-0 demolition of Watford on Claudio Ranieri’s Premier League return.

Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated from the outset to extend their unbeaten league run to 18 games, with Sadio Mane opening the scoring with his 100th Premier League goal.

Firmino doubled Liverpool’s lead just before half-time with a tap-in before adding his second from close range seven minutes after the break, capitalising on a parry from goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Salah provided Liverpool’s fourth with another moment of individual brilliance in the box before curling the ball in to the far corner and Firmino completed his treble in added time.

It was not the welcome return to the Premier League that former Chelsea and Leicester boss Ranieri would have hoped for, after replacing the sacked Xisco Munoz, with the full scale of Watford’s bid to stay in the top flight evident.

Liverpool started the game brightly and deservedly went ahead after nine minutes. Salah had already rattled the crossbar only to be flagged for offside before Mane’s first-time finish from the Egyptian’s exquisite pass brought up his personal milestone.

Foster had cleared the ball, but Salah won it back before shrugging off Danny Rose to send Mane through with the outside of his boot. The Senegal international timed his run to get ahead of his marker and then slotted the ball past the goalkeeper when one-on-one.

Salah had two more chances to add to Liverpool’s tally before the half-hour mark, but the first was blocked by a defender and the second Foster was able to come off his line and gather after a rare poor touch from the forward.

After the early exchanges, Watford had just 11 percent possession and Liverpool’s second looked inevitable.

The ball made its way across the pitch from Mane to James Milner on the overlap and the former England international put in a low cross for Firmino to tap home from close range completely unmarked in the 37th minute.

Watford continued to struggle in the second half, and it did not take long for Foster to be forced into another save, when Salah found space in the box to get a curled strike in, which the Watford goalkeeper was just able to turn over the bar.

Firmino put the game to bed in the 52nd minute. Andy Robertson attempted to find Salah at the far post when Craig Cathcart intercepted, forcing Foster into a save, but he could only parry and it was another tap-in for the Brazilian.

The visitors only had to wait two more minutes for their fourth of the afternoon with Salah, whose goal grabbed the headlines against Manchester City last time out, producing another stunning finish.

Salah showed impressive footwork to leave multiple defenders behind him as he crafted an opening for a curled strike into the far corner.

It looked as if the game would end 4-0 before Firmino turned home a ball across the box from substitute Neco Williams at the death.

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MOHAMED SALAH FOCUSED ON WINNING DESPITE LIVERPOOL CONTRACT SPECULATION

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah insists winning is what keeps him happy.

Over the last month there has been a lot of debate about Salah’s contract situation as he has yet to follow the example of a number of senior players this year and sign an extension to a deal which expires in the summer of 2023.

Reports suggest the stumbling block is the Egypt international’s wages, with claims that Salah looking for £300,000-a-week-plus so he can have parity with some of the Premier League’s top earners.

Liverpool’s policy is not to hand out big contracts to players over the age of 30 – Salah reaches that mark next summer – but pundits like former Reds defender Jamie Carragher believes the club should pay the player what he is worth.

Salah, however, is concentrating on ensuring Jurgen Klopp’s side keep pace with Chelsea and Manchester City at the top of the table after an unbeaten start to the season.

“I’m happy as long as the team keep winning,” Salah told liverpoolfc.

“I’m trying to help always, to score goals and make the team win games – that’s the most important (thing).

“We have to give our best always to win something and I think we have the quality for that.

“We have a top team, so we have to push ourselves to the limit and try to win something. I’m sure everybody thinks the same.

“That’s what we need, just to keep in our head that we finish the season winning something.”

Klopp received a boost on Thursday with Diogo Jota joining the squad for training despite being sent home early from international duty with Portugal on Tuesday as he was not deemed fit enough to play in their World Cup qualifier.

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LIVERPOOL GET ‘SUBSTANTIAL’ EVIDENCE FOLLOWING ALLEGED SPITTING INCIDENT

Liverpool have collected “substantial” evidence following an alleged spitting incident in Sunday’s match against Manchester City.

The visiting team made a complaint to Liverpool after alleging a fan spat at their backroom staff during the 2-2 Premier League draw at Anfield.

City boss Pep Guardiola said he was not aware of the incident at the time but was subsequently notified.

Liverpool have gathered a number of witness statements from people seated around the dugout area and are working with City staff to collect more evidence and unredacted video footage.

The club’s official sanctions process can result in a life ban, while there is also the potential for criminal charges.

A Reds spokesperson said: “Following a complaint of a serious alleged incident near the dugout area at Anfield during the second half of Sunday’s game against Manchester City, we are conducting a full investigation, working with all relevant parties including Manchester City, to gather evidence from individuals who witnessed the incident as well as analysing all available video footage.

“The evidence collected to date is substantial and, if requested to do so, will be handed to Merseyside Police given the potential for criminal charges.

“Anfield is our home and we will ensure it is a safe, enjoyable environment for everyone attending and will not allow unacceptable isolated behaviour to impact on our club’s values and principles.”

The club’s investigation is ongoing but Merseyside Police have charged four men – one local and three from County Antrim – in relation to possession and/or throwing of pyrotechnics outside the ground.

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KEVIN DE BRUYNE RESCUES LATE DRAW FOR CITY IN ANFIELD THRILLER

Manchester City twice pegged back Liverpool to earn a thrilling 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.

All four goals came in a stunning second half where Kevin De Bruyne rescued a point for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Liverpool took the lead through Sadio Mane before Phil Foden reduced the deficit. Mohamed Salah scored a stunner to put the hosts back ahead before De Bruyne grabbed another equaliser late on.

The draw sees Liverpool remain in second place with City behind in third.

“What a game. That’s the reason [over] the last years Man City and Liverpool are always there because we try to play in this way,” Guardiola said.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t win — but we didn’t lose.That’s why the Premier League is the best. It was great, really great.”

City dominated the first half and Liverpool needed Alisson to produce fine saves to twice deny Foden.

James Milner, filling in for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, had a torrid half, faced with Foden and Jack Grealish and receiving little help from his teammates.

De Bruyne should have put the visitors ahead 10 minutes before the break but his close-range header went over the bar.

The hosts responded well and Ederson produced a good save to stop Diogo Jota’s effort.

Liverpool went ahead after 59 minutes after Salah skipped past Joao Cancelo to set up Mane to finish past the goalkeeper.

City scored a deserved equaliser 10 minutes later when Foden produced a fine finish from a tight angle.

Salah restored Liverpool’s lead with a stunning solo goal where he jinked past four defenders and slotted the ball over the Ederson.

The champions responded once again five minutes later as De Bruyne’s effort deflected in off Joel Matip.

There was still time for an outstanding piece of defending from City midfielder Rodri, whose superb block kept out a goal-bound effort from Fabinho after Ederson had dropped a cross.

Klopp made no attempt to sugar-coat his team’s first-half display.

“We were too passive with and without the ball and played right into City’s hands. That was the worst half we have played against them,” he said.

“I was more than pleased when I heard the whistle for halftime because we had to adjust a lot of things and we did.

“Second half was completely different. If we only played the second half I would have loved to have won but with the first half I am happy with the point.”

The Liverpool boss also praised Salah for his sensational goal: “Only the best players in the world score goals like this. It was the first touch, the first challenge he wins, the going there and putting it on his right foot and finishing the situation off like he did. Absolutely exceptional.

“Because this club never forgets anything, people will talk about this goal for a long, long time, in 50, 60 years, when they remember this game.

“If Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo score that goal then the world says yes because it’s world class. He is one of the best players in the world, that’s how it is.”

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SALAH, FIRMINO ON THE DOUBLE AS LIVERPOOL WIN BIG IN PORTO

Mohamed Salah struck twice as Liverpool sauntered to a 5-1 victory against injury-struck FC Porto to seize command of a daunting looking Champions League Group B on Tuesday.

Substitute Roberto Firmino also grabbed a brace as Liverpool negotiated a tricky-looking fixture on paper with ease.

Liverpool top the group with six points from two games, ahead of Atletico Madrid who have four points.

“It’s definitely not job done as we have four games to play. We had two good performances, applied ourselves well and got results we deserved,” Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson, who made his 400th appearance for the club, said.

“It’s a good start but it is far from over.”

It was a miserable night for Porto — who have now conceded 14 goals in their last three home games against Liverpool — and especially keeper Diogo Costa who produced a woeful display.

Porto were dealt a blow before kick-off when captain and centre back Pepe was injured in the warm-up and the hosts were further handicapped when midfielder Otavio lasted only 13 minutes before hobbling off with a hamstring injury.

Liverpool took ruthless advantage of Porto’s woes with Salah tapping in following a mistake by Costa after 17 minutes. Curtis Jones crossed from the left and, as the goalkeeper fumbled, the ball fell to Salah who could not miss.

They doubled their lead just before half-time when Sadio Mane scored from close range with Costa again culpable after letting a low cross from James Milner across the area.

Salah made it 3-0 on the hour with a typically neat finish before Porto rallied with Mehdi Taremi heading past Alisson.

Any hope of a late Porto comeback was extinguished, however, when Costa made a mad dash from his goal and substitute Firmino rolled a shot into an empty net.

Porto’s misery was complete when Firmino grabbed his second of the night in the 81st minute.

After being drawn in the toughest group, Liverpool will be hugely satisfied with their start, having beaten Milan in a scintillating opener at Anfield a fortnight ago.

Liverpool have scored at least three goals in their last six matches in all competitions for only the third time in the club’s history and head into this weekend’s big Premier League clash at home to English champions Manchester City on a high.

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LIVERPOOL AND ENGLAND WORLD CUP WINNER, ROGER HUNT DIES AT 83

English footballer Roger Hunt of Liverpool FC, UK, November 1967. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Roger Hunt, a striker in the only England team to win the World Cup and Liverpool’s all-time record league scorer, has died. He was 83.

Liverpool, where Hunt spent most of his playing career, said he died on Monday after a long illness.

Hunt’s three goals at the 1966 World Cup helped England to advance from the group stage. He went on to feature in all six games at the tournament, culminating in the 4-2 victory over West Germany in the final at Wembley Stadium when he partnered hat-trick scorer Geoff Hurst up front. It remains England’s only major football title.

“I never had any guarantees that I’d get in the squad,” Hunt recalled last year in an interview with the Liverpool Echo newspaper. “There was such a bulk of forwards that I had to be at the top of (my) game to get in at that time. There was always Jimmy (Greaves who died this month). He was the best player at the time. He was so established while I was in and out of the England team.”

By that time Hunt had already won two league titles with Liverpool – in 1964 and earlier in 1966. With 245 goals, Hunt is the club’s highest scorer in league games. Overall, Hunt scored 285 goals in 492 appearances for Liverpool from 1958 to 1969 before moving to Bolton.

“Roger Hunt comes second to no-one in his importance in the history of Liverpool FC, that much is clear,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said on Tuesday. “To be the goalscoring catalyst of the Shankly team to actually achieve promotion and then go on to win those precious league titles and the FA Cup puts him in a bracket of LFC legends who are responsible for making us the club we are today. Not only that, he was also a World Cup winner in 1966, too.”

Hunt wasn’t knighted by Queen Elizabeth II but he was proclaimed “Sir Roger” by Liverpool fans, who raise a banner to him on the Kop at every match.

Hunt was honoured only in 2000 for his sporting achievements by the queen, being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire among the so-called forgotten heroes of the 1966 World Cup.

“One of the greatest goal scorers our club has ever seen,” Jamie Carragher, a Liverpool player until 2013, tweeted. “Sir Roger along with the other Legends from the 60s made LFC the club it is today.”

Hunt was born in the northwest English county of Lancashire on July 20, 1938. He was on leave from national service in the army when he was spotted by Liverpool playing for amateur team Stockton Heath in 1958, going on to score on his home debut at Anfield.

In the 1961-62 season, Hunt scored 41 goals in as many games to help Liverpool win promotion to the top division as second-tier champions. He formed an attacking partnership with Ian St John, with both scoring in the 1965 final against Leeds as Liverpool won the FA Cup for the first time.

Having gone to the 1962 World Cup but never playing, Hunt made a significant impact at the next tournament four years later for Alf Ramsey’s side.

He was the nearest player to the ball when Hurst scored the contentious second goal in the final. The shot hit the crossbar and bounced down over the line, according to England players and the referee but not the Germans who disputed the legitimacy of the goal.

Hunt instinctively celebrated, raising his arms which could have influenced linesman Tofiq Bahramov.

“People still say to me now, `Why didn’t you just put it in?’ because I was only four yards away,” Hurst told The Anfield Wrap website in 2015. “As Geoff Hurst hit it, I anticipated it, Wolfgang Weber was marking me but I got in front of him – I was there, ready if it didn’t go in.

“So it hits the underside of the bar and came down, I turned away because I thought it was over the line and would be bouncing into the roof of the net. But it went in, came back out – I was still convinced – and by then I couldn’t get it because it came out at an angle and Weber headed it away.”

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BRENTFORD HIT BACK TWICE TO SNATCH POINT IN THRILLING DRAW WITH LIVERPOOL

Mohamed Salah scored his 100th Premier League goal for Liverpool but it was not enough to beat Brentford, who twice pegged the Reds back in a breathless 3-3 draw.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were unable to reap the maximum profit from slip-ups by Manchester United and Chelsea earlier in the day as they shared the points after an early-evening cracker in west London.

Instead they moved just one point clear at the top, while preserving the top flight’s only remaining unbeaten record.

And Klopp will be relieved at that after Ivan Toney had what would have been a late winner ruled out for offside.

The German will also know his side will not face many tougher trips all season, with vibrant Brentford leading through Ethan Pinnock and, following goals from Diogo Jota and Salah, equalising through Vitaly Janelt.

Then, when Curtis Jones smashed Liverpool ahead again, Bees sub Yoane Wissa came up with another equaliser.

There was a taste of things to come when both teams were denied by goal-line clearances in the opening 10 minutes.

First Salah missed out on a seventh-minute opener thanks to a spectacular piece of defending from Kristoffer Ajer.

Jota’s through-ball sent Salah through and he rolled his shot past Bees keeper David Raya, but Ajer raced back and slid in to hook the ball off the line.

Moments later, at the other end, Bryan Mbeumo latched onto Toney’s flick-on and lifted the ball over Alisson, but this time Joel Matip got back to scoop the ball clear from underneath the crossbar.

Brentford were more than holding their own against the 2020 champions and were good value for the lead they took in the 27th minute.

Spanish winger Sergi Canos, who spent three years at Liverpool as a youngster but played only nine minutes for the first team, got down the Reds’ right and drilled in a low cross.

Toney helped the ball on at the near post and centre-half Pinnock was left with a tap-in.

The lead lasted barely three minutes, however, before Jordan Henderson swung in a cross from the right and Jota headed home at the far post.

Seven minutes before the interval Henderson teed up Jones on the edge of the area and his shot was deflected onto a post by Pinnock.

Jota should have been celebrating his second of the afternoon from the rebound but somehow Raya got his body in the way of the shot and it flew wide.

After the break Salah grabbed his landmark goal. The Egypt striker was was initially flagged offside as he tucked away Fabinho’s ball over the top, but a VAR check showed he was in fact onside.

Back came Brentford, though, and when Pontus Jansson slid in to crash Ajer’s cross onto the bar, Janelt popped up at the far post to force the loose ball home.

Jones blasted Liverpool back in front in the 67th minute. Moments after sending a long-range sighter high into the stands, the midfielder took aim again and his low drive took a deflection in a crowded penalty area as it flew past Raya.

Salah should have had goal number 101 after he was played in by Sadio Mane but he chipped the ball onto the roof of the net.

Moments later Bees sub Wissa arrived at the far post and produced a composed finish to equalise yet again, before Toney was denied a late winner by the linesman’s flag.

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LIVERPOOL TO EXTEND ANFIELD CAPACITY TO 61,000

Liverpool will formally start work next week on a project to increase the capacity of their Anfield home to more than 61,000.

The expansion, which was granted planning permission in June and has been undergoing enabling works throughout the off-season, is looking to add 7,000 seats to the Anfield Road Stand and is expected to be completed in time for the 2023-24 campaign.

The club said on Wednesday morning that work “will begin in earnest with an official ground-breaking ceremony planned for next week”.

Jurgen Klopp’s men will continue to play at the stadium while the building work, which will involve a re-route of Anfield Road itself, takes place.

Managing director Andy Hughes told the Reds’ website: “We have been clear from the beginning that in order for this expansion to go ahead we needed the co-operation of local residents and the community, to successfully navigate the complex planning landscape, and to ensure the project is financially viable.

“We needed certainty for this project to progress and are now in a position to be able to move forward. We began this journey in 2014 and are grateful to everyone for the contributions they have made to bring the project to this stage.”

The newly designed Anfield Road Stand will see the lower tier retained and refurbished, with a new upper tier built above

Buckingham Group Contracting Limited has been appointed principal contractor and will work closely with the Red Neighbours initiative and also local employment groups having entered into a commitment to offer work experience, apprenticeships, graduate placements and jobs to local people.

The expanded structure, which will be similar in design to the Main Stand and will include improved concourses and sports-bar lounge hospitality facilities, is expected to support around 400 matchday roles in addition to the 2,200 which currently exist.

It will also feature additional pedestrian routes into Stanley Park and “include historical design references”.

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SADIO MANE SCORES 100TH LIVERPOOL GOAL AS REDS THRASH CRYSTAL PALACE

Record-breaking Sadio Mane’s 100th Liverpool goal set Jurgen Klopp’s side on the way to 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace which took them top of the table.

Mane became the first player in Premier League history to score against the same opponent in nine consecutive matches, beating Robin van Persie’s eight in a row against Stoke

His close-range strike just before half-time also made him the 18th man to bring up a century of goals for the club in his 224th appearance.

Mohamed Salah’s rich form continued as his volley 12 minutes from time meant he has only failed to score in one of his six games this season with a sumptuous left-footed volley from substitute Naby Keita finishing proceedings with a flourish.

Just like against AC Milan in midweek Liverpool made hard work of a game in which they created numerous chances.

Klopp made six changes – including his entire back four – from the midweek Champions League tie which meant his side started a league match without either Andy Robertson (rested) or Trent Alexander-Arnold (ill) in the team for the first time since December 2018.

It did, however, afford Anfield its first look at summer signing Ibrahima Konate, lining up in central defence alongside the returning Virgil van Dijk.

Perhaps understandably there were some teething problems with a defence that had never played together before and a shaky start saw Alisson forced to tip Wilfried Zaha’s attempted lob from close range onto a post.

Konate was first extended in a foot race with Zaha, with the winger going down in the area but he did not appeal for a penalty and none was given.

The big centre-back passed his second test as well as, one-on-one with Christian Benteke, he blocked the striker’s near-post shot.

They were the rare Palace attacks as the home side dominated throughout and would have been ahead well before the 43rd minute had they shown more composure in front of goal.

Klopp’s side were frustrated for a long period by Palace’s discipline and organisation which saw them get men behind the ball quickly to regain their shape.

Diogo Jota fired over from a narrow angle after Kostas Tsimikas and Mane combined, Jordan Henderson’s far-post attempt was palmed behind, Thiago Alcantara’s weak shot was blocked by a crowd of defenders and an acrobatic Mane effort went for a corner.

But the worst came last as Thiago’s header was parried by Vicente Guaita only for Jota, who had a poor game against Milan, to blaze over from three yards.

Mane showed him how it should be done, however, when Salah’s glancing header from Tsimikas’ corner was half-stopped by the goalkeeper and the Senegal forward pounced to lash home.

Fewer chances were created in the second half as the game became scrappier before Palace boss Patrick Vieira turned to Odsonne Edouard, who scored twice on his debut last weekend, just past the hour.

But the direction of travel remained roughly the same with Guaita producing a double save from Mane and Salah.

Jordan Ayew wasted a promising opportunity when he opted to shoot rather than crossing for Zaha, who had escaped the clutches of James Milner for once in the game, while Edouard was smothered by Alisson as he somehow found space in the penalty area.

But the visitors’ hopes of snatching something from the game were snuffed out when Salah volleyed home at a corner, whipping his shirt off in celebration at his 99th Premier League goal for the club.

Alisson denied Edouard again before Keita added the gloss with a sweetly-struck shot.