Liverpool beat Norwich City 3/1 in the twenty-sixth stage of the English Premier League.
Sharjah 24 – Asaad Khalil:
Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah returned to his hobby of scoring with his team Liverpool in the English Premier League, and the player scored a goal once morest Norwich City, to lead Liverpool to a precious victory 3/1, in the twenty-sixth stage of the competition.
Newcastle continued its awakening in the English Premier League, with a 1-1 draw with its host West Ham today, in the same stage that also witnessed Arsenal’s victory over Brentford, 2/1, Southampton over Everton, 2-0, Chelsea at its host Crystal Palace, 1/0, and Watford at its host Aston Villa, 1 / zero, and Burnley at Brighton, 3 / zero.
And at the ancient “Anfield” stadium in Liverpool, Salah and his companions spoiled the adventure of their guests and achieved a valuable victory over Norwich City, which was a stubborn competitor for the owners of the land in many periods of the match, and was even the initiator of scoring in the match.
The first half ended in a goalless draw, but Norwich City surprised Liverpool with the goal of progress through Milot Rashika, in the 48th minute.
Liverpool responded with two successive goals, scored by Senegalese Sadio Mane and Salah in the 64th and 67th minutes, bringing Salah to 17 goals as the top scorer in the competition this season, while Colombian Luis Diaz scored in the match, with Liverpool’s third goal in the 81st minute.
Liverpool raised its score to 57 points in second place in the competition table, following achieving its fifth victory in a row, reducing the difference to six points with leaders Manchester City, which hosts Tottenham today in another match at the same stage.
Norwich City’s tally froze at 17 points, dropping to the penultimate nineteenth place, one point behind Watford.
Salah was absent from the team for several weeks last January and early February, to participate with his country in the African Nations Cup in Cameroon, in which he reached the final with the team, which he lost once morest Senegal on penalties.
The player participated as a substitute once morest Leicester City, following returning directly from Cameroon, and then started once morest Burnley, but he did not score any goal in the two matches, before he scored today’s goal in his third participation with the team in the league, following returning from his African participation.
Salah had regained the scoring tone with the team in the middle of last week, by scoring the second goal in the match that he won once morest Inter Milan, in his own home, 2-0, in the first leg of the round of sixteen of the European Champions League.
Thus, Salah has contributed to 26 goals for his team in the English Premier League this season, scoring 17 goals and assisting nine goals for his teammates.
Today, Liverpool won its third victory over Norwich City this season, as it had previously defeated the same team 3-0 at home, in both the English Premier League and the English League Cup.
Newcastle
Newcastle maintained its unbeaten record for the sixth match in a row, knowing that it was his third tie once morest three victories in this match.
The two goals came in the first half, as West Ham advanced with a goal scored by Craig Dawson in the 32nd minute, and Joseph Willock equalized for the visitors in the first minute, of overtime for this half.
The two teams presented a strong show in the first half that was characterized by speed, excitement and many opportunities for the two teams, especially Newcastle, which was the best, most offensive and most dangerous in most of this half.
Newcastle failed to translate its offensive pressure and possession of the ball, which exceeded 60% in this half, into early goals that were enough to decide the match.
On the other hand, West Ham’s attacks and quick rebounds posed a great danger, and he almost scored the goal in the 20th minute, but the Newcastle goalkeeper blocked Jarrod Bowen’s shot, before the ball bounced off the crossbar.
And in the 32nd minute, West Ham took advantage of one of the free kicks, and scored the goal in front of Newcastle.
Aaron Cresswell played the free kick from the left, and Craig Dawson pounced on it with an elaborate header with which he turned the ball into the goal, to the right of the goalkeeper.
The situation did not change much following the goal, as Newcastle remained the best and most in possession of the ball, but its players continued the series of wasting opportunities in front of the West Ham goal, until the first minute of stoppage time, to witness the equalizing goal for the visitors.
The goal came following an organized attack by Newcastle and a high pass played by Emil Kraft from the left side of the penalty area, and West Ham midfielder Declan Rice tried to drive it away with his head, but he prepared it for Joseph Willock, who shot it directly into the goal, to be the equalizing goal just before the end of the half.
With the start of the second half, West Ham coach David Moyes made a revitalizing change in defense, with Ben Johnson replacing Ryan Fredericks.
The two teams resumed their offensive attempts at the beginning of the second half, although the level of West Ham improved, which became the best team at the beginning of this half.
Dawson almost gave West Ham the lead in the 48th minute, with a shot from inside the penalty area, but the ball rebounded from the defense.
Willock manipulated West Ham’s defense outside the penalty area in the 66th minute, and shot the ball towards the far corner to the left of the goalkeeper, but the ball passed just outside the post.
The level of performance of the two teams gradually decreased in the remainder of this half, but both failed to find the net and the match ended in a draw.
Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the winning goal for his team Liverpool
