Tottenham rescued a late point at Liverpool to aid their survival fight, while Manchester United strengthened their Champions League push with a win over Aston Villa.
TOTTENHAM Hotspur snatched a dramatic late 1-1 draw at Anfield on Sunday, offering a glimmer of hope in their desperate battle against relegation. Manchester United, meanwhile, boosted their top-four ambitions with a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa.
Dominic Szoboszlai had given Liverpool the lead with an 18th-minute free-kick that eluded Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. The visitors, without a league win in 12 matches, looked set for a sixth consecutive defeat.
Brazil striker Richarlison spared his side in the 90th minute, steering a close-range finish past Alisson Becker. The goal secured a first point under interim manager Igor Tudor after four straight losses.
Tudor hailed his team’s spirit after a difficult week that included a 5-2 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid. “It is an amazing, incredible point we take here,” he said.
“The team spirit was amazing. We hope today is a turning point.”
The result left lacklustre Liverpool in fifth place, two points behind fourth-placed Villa, and they were booed off by their own fans. Manager Arne Slot acknowledged the frustration, stating, “They have experienced these late goals far too many times.”
At Old Trafford, Manchester United moved three points clear of Villa in third place. Casemiro’s 53rd-minute header opened the scoring before Ross Barkley equalised for the visitors.
United finished strongly with late goals from Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko sealing a vital win. It was interim boss Michael Carrick’s seventh victory in nine games since taking charge.
“We looked a good team. It was a big game coming off the defeat,” Carrick said. “The boys reacted incredibly well. We are in a good position at the moment.”
Bruno Fernandes provided two assists, taking his Premier League tally for the season to 16. That surpasses David Beckham’s previous club record of 15 set in the 1999-2000 campaign.
Spluttering Villa have now lost three consecutive league games. They remain just three points above sixth-placed Chelsea in the race for European qualification.
In other matches, Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone with a 0-0 draw against Fulham. Ten-man Leeds United held on for a goalless draw at Crystal Palace despite a missed penalty and a red card for Gabriel Gudmundsson.
The Sun Malaysia
