Salah shines as Liverpool beat Spurs; Arsenal held, United win

LIVERPOOL: Mohamed Salah completed the recovery after Liverpool conceded in the first minute against Tottenham on Sunday, clinching a 2-1 victory from the penalty spot and restoring a six-point Premier League lead.

Salah’s 75th-minute winner - after Serge Aurier clumsily clipped Sadio Mane - was the striker’s eighth goal of the title chase.

But Liverpool’s equalizer had come from the less likely source of Jordan Henderson who nettted for the first time at Anfield in four years in the 52nd minute.

The England vice captain canceled out the opener from England captain Harry Kane who took only 47 seconds to send Tottenham into a shock lead after a lackluster start to the season for the 10th-place London club.

It was a reverse of the last meeting between Tottenham and Liverpool in June in the Champions League final, when Salah netted an early penalty.

Liverpool’s breakthrough on its way to a sixth European Cup came when Mousa Sissoko handled after 22 seconds to concede a penalty in Madrid. Redemption came after 148 days for the French midfielder, and almost as quickly.

Meanwhile,Wolverhampton Wanderers battled back from a below-par first-half display to draw 1-1 against Newcastle thanks to Jonny’s leveller at St James’ Park on Sunday.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are unbeaten in the Premier League since mid-September but will be disappointed not to have taken all three points after dominating the second period against Geordies.

Hosts Newcastle took the lead in the 37th minute through captain Jamaal Lascelles, who got on the end of a fine cross from Federico Fernandez to power a header past Rui Patricio.

Wolves looked a changed side in the second half, pinning Newcastle back and creating a series of chances, with Diogo Jota heading over just after the hour mark before forcing goalkeeper Martin Dubravka into a fine save shortly afterwards.

The visitors scored a deserved equaliser in the 73rd minute when Dubravka could only paw a cross from the right into the path of Jonny, who lashed home.

Newcastle responded brightly but their task was made harder when Sean Longstaff was shown a straight red card with eight minutes to go after flying into Ruben Neves.

Defender Matt Doherty nearly sealed a win for the visitors late on but his glancing header from a Raul Jimenez cross flashed past the far post.

Elsewhere, Manchester United defeated Norwich 3-1.

Unai Emery’s problems mounted as Arsenal blew a two-goal lead amid VAR controversy and captain Granit Xhaka feuded with fans in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.

Emery was already under pressure after Arsenal slumped to a shock defeat at Sheffield United on Monday and the Gunners boss has more fires to put out following his side’s dismal capitulation at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal were on course for victory after goals from Sokratis and David Luiz put them two up inside 10 minutes.

But Luka Milivojevic started the Arsenal collapse when he converted a penalty awarded by VAR after Wilfried Zaha was initially booked for diving.

Emery’s team faded in familiar fashion after that and Jordan Ayew bagged Palace’s deserved equaliser before Arsenal had a late Sokratis winner disallowed by VAR.

Fifth-placed Arsenal, four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, have won just two of their last eight Premier League games and there is a growing sense that all is not well with the club.

Xhaka’s remarkable bust-up with the crowd laid bare the simmering tensions.

When Xhaka was replaced by Bukayo Saka, the disliked Swiss midfielder trudged slowly to the touchline while petulantly gesticulating to the fans who had cheered his substitution and were now angrily urging him to get off the pitch quicker.

Xhaka’s incredible tantrum climaxed when he ripped off his shirt and stormed straight down the tunnel to more derision from the stands.

The match finished to a soundtrack of boos from Arsenal supporters who sang Mesut Ozil’s name in a pointed reference to Emery’s decision to once again leave out the German star.

It seemed Arsenal might lift the gloom from their depressing trip to Bramall Lane when they opened the scoring in the seventh minute.

Agencies