Gone in 15 seconds as five-goal Liverpool regain top spot

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool powered back to the top of the Premier League as Naby Keita’s goal after just 15 seconds inspired a 5-0 rout of Huddersfield on Friday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side struck three times in the first half at Anfield, with Keita bagging Liverpool’s fastest ever Premier League goal before Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah also got on the scoresheet.

Mane and Salah netted again in the second half to move the Reds two points clear of second placed Manchester City, who will regain pole position if they win at Burnley on Sunday.

The lead at the top of the table has now changed hands for a record 29th time as this memorable season heads for a thrilling conclusion.

Unfazed by City’s crucial win at Manchester United on Wednesday, Liverpool are keeping their end of the bargain in their chase for a first English title in 29 years.

Liverpool required just seconds to demonstrate that the chances of an upset from already relegated Huddersfield were non-existent.

Their goal-spree also ate into the eight-goal deficit by which they trailed City in the goal difference column before kick-off.

Keita started the rout with the first of those goals, Liverpool’s quickest of the Premier League era, an effort which showcased so much of their high-pressing energy and effort.

Goalkeeper Jonas Lossl played a pass out of the Huddersfield area to Jon Goren Stankovic, who was immediately closed down by Keita and robbed of the ball.

The midfielder quickly exchanged passes with Salah and advanced into the area before beating Lossl with an accomplished 15-yard finish, despite the attempts of Stankovic to recover.

There followed some moments of minor anxiety for home supporters, although the nerves were clearly not shared by their players and, on 23 minutes, the lead was predictably doubled.

Full-back Andy Robertson appeared on the end of a patient, intricate passing move, lobbed in a magnificent left-wing cross and Mane split his markers to head in his 11th goal in his last 13 games.

– Incredible contributions –

Daniel Sturridge, starting for the first time in the calendar year, and Jordan Henderson both shot disappointingly over.

But, in first-half stoppage-time, Klopp’s side put the result beyond doubt.

It came from the pass of the evening, from right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold just inside his own half, whose magnificently-weighted ball hung perfectly in the swirling Anfield wind for Salah, who arrived ahead of Lossl and lobbed the ball over the advancing goalkeeper’s head.

from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2V0FaWu