Salah’s penalty fires Liverpool nine points clear; Wood hits hat-trick as Forest thrash Brighton

Mohamed Salah’s controversial penalty put Liverpool on course for a 2-0 win at Bournemouth as the Premier League leaders moved nine points clear on Saturday.

Arne Slot’s side took the lead in the first half when Salah netted with a penalty awarded after Cody Gakpo appeared to trip over his own feet rather than go down from Lewis Cook’s challenge.

Bournemouth were left outraged after referee Darren England’s on-field decision was upheld by VAR.

Salah added insult to injury for Bournemouth when he struck again late in the second half to extend Liverpool’s lead over second-placed Arsenal.

The Egypt forward has 21 goals from 23 league games this season, reaching the 20-mark for the fifth time in his English top-flight career.

Salah has 178 career Premier League goals, moving him one ahead of Frank Lampard into sixth place in the competition’s all-time scoring chart.

Liverpool are unbeaten in 19 league games, winning 17 of their 23 top-flight matches in a remarkable run since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the close-season.

Persuing an English record-equalling 20th title and their first in the competition since 2020, Liverpool can sit back and wait to see if old rivals Manchester City can do them a favour when they face Arsenal on Sunday.

On Thursday, quadruple-chasing Liverpool will try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Tottenham in the League Cup semi-final at Anfield.

Slot’s only concern was an injury that forced off England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold in the second half.

Bournemouth had enjoyed home wins over Manchester City and Arsenal this season, while third-placed Nottingham Forest were thrashed 5-0 on the south-coast last week.

But their 11-match unbeaten run in the league came to an end against a relentless Liverpool side that look destined to end the season with the Premier League crown in the Anfield trophy cabinet. Bournemouth nearly made the perfect start after just 12 seconds when Trent Alexander-Arnold lost possession to Antoine Semenyo, whose strike forced a good save from Alisson Becker.

Not for the first time in his career, Alexander-Arnold’s defensive deficiencies were on display as his poor clearance let in Justin Kluivert before Alisson’s save spared his team-mate’s blushes.

Semenyo turned away from two Liverpool defender before rattling the woodwork with a stinging drive.

Meanwhile, Chris Wood netted a hat-trick as Nottingham Forest thrashed Brighton 7-0 to reignite their charge towards next season’s Champions League at the City Ground on Saturday.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams and Jota Silva were also on target after Lewis Dunk’s own goal opened the scoring in an astonishing performance from Nuno Espirito Santo’s men as they bounced back from a 5-0 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend.

Victory takes Forest level on points with second-placed Arsenal and opens up a seven-point cushion on sixth-placed Chelsea.

Fifth place in the Premier League this season is almost certain to be enough for Champions League qualification due to a strong start by English clubs in European competitions.

Two-time European Cup winners in 1979 and 1980 during the club’s heyday under Brian Clough, Forest last played in Europe back in 1996.

But a run of 10 wins from their last 12 games has put them well on course to end that two-decade wait for continental competition.

Forest became just the second side in Premier League history to respond to losing a game by five or more goals by winning by that margin.

“That is exactly what we wanted after last week, and exactly what the fans wanted,” said Gibbs-White.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler set out with a bold selection that included five forwards in his starting 11.

However, that backfired massively as the Seagulls were wide open and punished by Forest’s frightening pace and precision going forward.

Dunk gave the hosts a helping hand they did not need after just 12 minutes as he turned Gibbs-White’s dangerous low cross into his own net.

On his 100th Forest appearance, Gibbs-White then rose highest to power in a header from Anthony Elanga’s corner.

Agencies