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LONDON. — Steven Gerrard’s future at Liverpool may be in doubt but he turned back the clock to score in a victory at bottom side Leicester City in the English Premier League on Tuesday night.
Manchester United maintained their recent improvement with a fourth successive league win, beating Stoke City 2-1 at Old Trafford with a Marouane Fellaini header and Juan Mata free-kick either side of a Steven Nzonzi goal for Stoke.
David de Gea guaranteed United held on to the points with two superb saves late in the game.
United stay fourth but have 25 points, eight behind leaders Chelsea who hosted Tottenham Hotspur last night, while Liverpool have climbed to eighth place with 20 points.
West Ham United remain fifth, a point behind United, after a 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion, who have now lost their last four matches. James Tomkins headed the winner for the Hammers in first half stoppage time.
Liverpool captain Gerrard (34) left out of the starting line-up on Saturday, was back in the team at Leicester where he rifled home a poor clearance from captain Wes Morgan to turn the balance of the match the Merseysiders’ way in the 54th minute.
They had fallen behind when Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet conceded an own goal after 22 minutes before a 26th minute Adam Lallana equaliser for the visitors.
Leicester were reduced to 10 men when Morgan, who scored an own goal against QPR on Saturday, was sent off for a foul on Rickie Lambert after 63 minutes and they conceded a third when Jordan Henderson scored after 83 minutes.
Aston Villa earned a precious three points with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace where Christian Benteke’s goal ended a run of nine games without a victory for Paul Lambert’s side.
Queens Park Rangers crashed to a seventh successive away league defeat and slipped to one off the bottom when they were beaten 2-0 at Swansea City, who won with late goals from Ki Sung-yueng and Wayne Routledge to move up to sixth on 22 points.
Burnley climbed out of the relegation zone when they stretched their unbeaten run to four matches with a 1-1 draw at home to mid-table Newcastle United.
George Boyd put Burnley ahead after 34 minutes with a left foot shot from outside the box and Papiss Cisse equalised three minutes into the second half.
Burnley have 12 points above Hull City and QPR on 11, with Leicester propping up the table with 10 points from 14 games.
Meanwhile, Liverpool captain Gerrard refused to be drawn on his future at the club after scoring in his side’s 3-1 Premier League success at Leicester City on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old midfielder was restored to the starting XI after starting Saturday’s 1-0 win over Stoke City on the bench and responded by scoring the crucial second goal as Liverpool came from behind to win.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers revealed before the game that Gerrard has been offered a new contract, but when asked if he was ready to put pen to paper, he told BT Sport: “I’ll decide when I’m ready.
“There’s nothing to say on the contract at the moment. When there is, the fans have known me long enough, I’ll come out and say what I need to say.”
Liverpool fell behind in the 22nd minute at the King Power Stadium when Leonardo Ulloa’s shot hit the post and ricocheted into the net off visiting goalkeeper Simon Mignolet’s back for a cruel own goal.
But Adam Lallana equalised almost immediately and Gerrard put Liverpool in front nine minutes into the second half, steering home his first goal since September after Raheem Sterling’s cross was partially cleared.
After Leicester centre-back Wes Morgan had been sent off for hauling back Rickie Lambert, Jordan Henderson made the game safe in the 83rd minute.
When pressed on his future, Gerrard again refused to answer, focusing instead on his team’s improved form since their 2-2 Champions League draw at Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad last week. “I think the last three performances have been superb,” he said.
“We need to keep trying to improve on that. The reason I don’t want to answer your question tonight is because it’s not about me; it’s about a great team performance and a great three points.” — Soccernet.
Online Reporter