Liverpool’s players overcame an unexpected test of their Premier League title credentials against last-place Sheffield United on Thursday. Manchester United, meanwhile, went into meltdown at Chelsea.
This was a latest reminder of the gulf that separates English soccer’s fiercest rivals ahead of their clash at Old Trafford on Sunday.
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Liverpool is back on top after a 3-1 win against Sheffield United, while Manchester United conceded two goals in stoppage time in a stunning 4-3 loss at Chelsea.
Liverpool's win further demonstrated the resolve of Jurgen Klopp’s team and the growing influence of Alexis Mac Allister, whose stunning second-half strike set up victory.
Anfield erupted as the Argentina international unleashed an unstoppable drive from the edge of the box that crashed into the top corner in the 76th minute.
The atmosphere had been getting increasingly tense before that with the game locked at 1-1. Substitute Cody Gakpo added a third for Liverpool in the 90th to make the win look more routine than it was.
“We had to dig very deep, but that is normal. Our attitude was good, the football was not great in a lot of moments,” Klopp said.
While Liverpool could be knocked off the top again by the time it heads to United on Sunday, the Merseyside club keeps on coming up with the answers as it stares down the challenge of Arsenal and Manchester City.
By contrast, United’s season descended deeper into crisis after losing in dramatic circumstances at Chelsea.
It doesn’t get any easier for Erik ten Hag’s team, which has to pick itself up for the challenge of facing a Liverpool team that is growing in confidence in its pursuit of the title.
United's 12th league defeat of the campaign was played out in front of new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe at Stamford Bridge and came after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Brentford.
The pressure on Ten Hag is growing.
“In five days we dropped five points. That is unacceptable,” he said. “We should have a high standard if we want to compete for Champions League football.”
UNITED STUNNED
Having conceded late at Brentford, United suffered an even worse collapse at Chelsea after Cole Palmer scored twice in stoppage time to complete a hat trick and an unlikely comeback for Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
United had looked set to walk away with a morale-boosting win after recovering from a disastrous start — going 2-0 down early through a goal from Conor Gallagher and Palmer’s penalty.
Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes evened the score at 2-2 before halftime and Garnacho headed his team in front after the break.
But Diogo Dalot’s clumsy challenge on substitute Noni Madueke earned Chelsea a second penalty and Palmer — a boyhood United fan — converted in the 110th.
The drama wasn’t over yet. A minute later, Palmer’s effort from outside the box was deflected past Andre Onana to seal a spectacular win.
“(I’m) So happy because I think we deserved to win. It was tough, but overall we were the better team,” Pochettino said.
LIVERPOOL LEADS
Liverpool’s win moved it two points clear of second-place Arsenal and three ahead of City in third, but Sheffield United had threatened to spring a surprise in the race for the title.
Up until Mac Allister’s strike it had looked like being a potentially frustrating night at Anfield after Conor Bradley’s own goal had evened the game at 1-1 — canceling out Darwin Nunez’s opener.
Mac Allister’s long-range strike restored the lead and lifted the mood before Gakpo made it 3-1 with a header.
“Patience is the most important thing. You can get frustrated or in a bad mood, but we stayed calm and focused,” Gakpo said.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer