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LIVERPOOL — The Premier League season ended at Anfield how it has proceeded since August, with a Mohamed Salah goal, while champions Manchester City became the first club to hit 100 points.
Every strike is a landmark these days.
His 32nd in the Premier League ensured he has scored more than anyone in a 38-game campaign. If he can get another four against Real Madrid he will break Ian Rush’s club record of 48 in a single season.
Obviously that is unlikely, but when Liverpool attack like this they can beat goalkeepers at will.
More importantly, Salah first erased any doubts as to whether Jurgen Klopp’s side would protect top four status and play in next year’s Champions League.
Once Salah had beaten Matthew Ryan on 26 minutes, there was no prospect of a last day hitch.
Dejan Lovren and Dominic Solanke extended the lead either side of half-time before Andy Robertson hit the fourth late.
Liverpool’s Champions League was taken for granted by the rest of the country.
Not so at Anfield.
It is nine years since they qualified for the competition in successive years. The prolonged exile in the post-Rafa Benitez era was a symbol of how the lustre at Anfield was fading.
Returning, cementing the position and – potentially – winning it again under Jurgen Klopp demonstrates how the shine is back.
“Always the last day for me,” Klopp lamented as an issue which ought to have been resolved weeks ago dragged into the last game.
The chance to win the Champions League this has season had impacted on the club’s guarantee of being in the competition next year, but they deservedly took their place.
A dramatic 94th-minute winner from Gabriel Jesus gave Manchester City a 1-0 win over Southampton on Sunday to ensure they became the first team to reach 100 points in a Premier League season.
But Southampton still ended up celebrating as their narrow defeat combined with Swansea’s 2-1 defeat by Stoke City guaranteed them Premier League football next season.
Swansea were relegated.
For much of the match, City, who fielded four changes from midweek and played Raheem Sterling at centre forward, struggled to find their familiar rhythm and failed to register a single shot on target in the first half.
Dusan Tadic had an effort cleared off the line in the second half when City brought on Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz to ensure the pair notched up their fifth Premier League appearances of the season to qualify for a medal.
Saints looked to have secured the draw but, with virtually the final kick of the game, Jesus produced a perfect lobbed finish to spark wild City celebrations.
Manchester United assistant manager Rui Faria will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season, the Premier League club said on Saturday.
The Red Devils closed the season with a 1-0 win over Watford yesterday courtesy of a goal by Marcus Rashford.
British media reported that the 42-year-old Faria is on Arsenal’s shortlist to replace Arsene Wenger, who will leave the north London club after almost 22 years in charge.
Portuguese Faria has worked with United manager Jose Mourinho since 2001 and they have won 25 trophies together with six clubs.
“After a lot of consideration, and with a very heavy heart, I have decided the time is right for me to move on,” Faria told United’s website.
“I have had 17 years of incredible and unforgettable experiences. However, I have felt for some time that I would like to spend much more quality time with my family before pursuing any new challenge in my professional life.”
When asked if Faria would be a contender for the Arsenal job, Mourinho said: “I think so, yes. You ask me if I think it would be a good fit and I say ‘yes’.”
Chelsea’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League was confirmed as they completed a disappointing Premier League campaign by collapsing to a dismal 3-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday.
In what is widely expected to be Chelsea manager Antonio Conte’s final league game in charge, Ayoze Perez scored twice after Dwight Gayle’s opener, and the below-par Blues had to settle for finishing fifth.
That condemns them to a place in the less prestigious Europa League next season.
Victory at St James’ Park allied to a final-day defeat for Liverpool would have seen Chelsea snatch fourth, and while they failed in their task, it was rendered academic as Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League finalists ran out comfortable winners against Brighton.
Conte’s side still have the incentive of silverware to play for when they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final next Saturday.
But they go into that game with a continuing question mark over their Italian coach following their failure to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition, their points tally 23 less than in their title-winning season 12 months ago.
This could also have been a final game in charge for Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, with the Spaniard’s future in doubt pending key talks with the club’s owner Mike Ashley in the next week.
If this was to be farewell for the former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid head coach, his players gave him a rousing send-off, as Perez struck twice after the break to add to Gayle’s first-half opener to confirm an impressive 10th-place finish in their first season back in the top flight. — Daily Telegraph/SuperSport.
Online Reporter