Liverpool overcame their away day troubles in impressive style to run out 6-1 winners over ailing Leeds at Elland Road, leaving the Yorkshire side in the thick of one of the most open relegation scraps in recent seasons with only seven league games remaining.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, hoping to spark a late push for an unlikely top-four finish, had failed to score against a bottom-six side in their last six attempts, but there was no danger of history repeating itself after racing into a two-goal lead before the game’s halfway point.
Doubles from Mo Salah and Diogo Jota helped them move to within three points of sixth-placed Aston Villa, while Leeds remain just two points above the relegation places having shipped 11 goals in successive home games.
There was an element of controversy about Liverpool’s opener, with creator Trent Alexander-Arnold appearing to use an arm to control the ball in the preamble, but VAR declined to intervene as the full-back laid the ball on a plate for Cody Gakpo to tap home at the back post (35).
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Cody Gakpo taps Liverpool ahead as Leeds appeal for handball against Trent Alexander-Arnold in the build-up.
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Mo Salah finishes off a swift Liverpool counter-attack to double their lead against Leeds at Elland Road.
Salah, scoring his eighth goal in six appearances against Leeds, then collected Jota’s incisive pass, using clever movement to escape the clutches of Pascal Struijk, before rifling emphatically beyond a helpless Illan Meslier (39).
Luis Sinisterra netted what turned out to be merely a consolation shortly after the interval (47), paving the way for a second-half Liverpool onslaught, which was spearheaded by the brilliance of Salah.
The Egyptian scored a majestic fourth (64) shortly after Jota netted his first goal in over a year (52), with the Portuguese forward adding an impressive second to his personal tally in the 73rd minute.
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Diogo Jota scores his first goal in a year to restore Liverpool’s two-goal advantage against Leeds.
Liverpool wrapped up a stylish performance with a concluding goal in the 90th minute when Alexander-Arnold played in substitute Darwin Nunez, who finished neatly for his ninth Premier League strike of the campaign.
The victory was Liverpool’s first in all competitions since they thumped Manchester United 7-0 in early March, while Leeds’ survival hopes took another heavy blow after conceding five on home turf against Crystal Palace last time out.
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Mo Salah scores his second goal of the game to make it 4-1 to Liverpool against Leeds.
More to follow…
What’s next?
Leeds face a trip to Fulham on Saturday April 22: kick-off 12.30pm. Meanwhile, Liverpool host Nottingham Forest, also on Saturday April 22; kick-off 3pm.
Leeds United’s remaining fixtures
April 22: Fulham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
April 25: Leicester City (H) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm
April 30: Bournemouth (A) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm
May 7: Man City (A) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Newcastle (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: West Ham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Tottenham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
Liverpool’s remaining fixtures…
April 22: Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 26: West Ham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 30: Tottenham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 3: Fulham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm
May 6: Brentford (H) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Leicester (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Aston Villa (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Southampton (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm