EPL: Liverpool extend lead to seven points as Chelsea, United suffer losses

Liverpool came from a goal down to defeat Leicester City 3-1 in their English Premier League (EPL) encounter at Anfield on Boxing Day.

Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, and Mohamed Salah were the hosts’ goalscorers on the night after going behind to Leicester no thanks to Jordan Ayew’s early strike.

Ayew put Leicester City ahead when he held off a defender to steady himself before hitting a low drive beyond Alisson Berker for 1-0 in the eighth minute.

There were waves of attack from Liverpool thereafter, with Gakpo going close and Mohamed Salah hitting the bar before the latter drew the league leaders level before the interval. Liverpool worked the ball to Gakpo, and the Dutch attacker was given too much space to hit a curling strike beyond the goalkeeper for 1-1 minute into added time.

Gaps continued to open up in Leicester’s defence, and Liverpool capitalised four minutes into the second half. Jones finished a team move from four yards out to put the Reds ahead. Salah made sure of all three points with a brilliant low drive into the far corner for his 100th EPL goal at Anfield.

The victory extends Liverpool’s unbeaten league run to 13 matches, and Arne Slot’s side has 42 points from 17 games, seven points ahead of second-placed Chelsea, who lost 2-1 at home to Fulham earlier in the day. Relegation-threatened and without Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi due to injury, Leicester dropped to 18th place with 14 points from 18 matches.

Also, ten-man Manchester United lost 2-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Bruno Fernandes sent off two minutes into the second half, and Wolves capitalised on Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan.

Chelsea lost 2-1 to Fulham following a late goal from Rodrigo Muiz deep into stoppage time. Cole Palmer had given The Blues earlier in the game before Harry Wilson drew Fulham level in the 82nd minute.

RESULTS
Liverpool 3-1 Leicester City
Chelsea 1-2 Fulham
Manchester City 1-1 Everton
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Manchester United
Newcastle United 3-0 Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Tottenham Hotspurs
Bournemouth 0-0 Crystal Palace
Southampton 0-1 West Ham United