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Leverkusen’s new head coach Sascha Lewandowski and striker Son Heung-min talk strategy ahead of their match on Sunday. (AFP-Yonhap) |
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) ― Liverpool took command of the captivating Premier League title race by beating Manchester City 3-2 in a match of wide-ranging emotions at Anfield, although the destiny of the trophy is also in Chelsea’s hands after its win at Swansea on Sunday.
Liverpool is two points ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League, while Atletico leads La Liga by three points over Real Madrid following a 2-1 win at Getafe.
Philippe Coutinho scored in the 78th minute to help Liverpool become the favorite to win the Premier league on a day of remembrance for English soccer.
The Brazilian playmaker pounced on Vincent Kompany’s poor clearance to curl home the winner for Liverpool, which is on course for its first championship since 1990.
Liverpool is seven points ahead of third-place City, which has two games in hand. Second-place Chelsea, like Liverpool, has the title in its own hands but needs to beat Liverpool at Anfield on April 27 and win its other four games.
Liverpool struck early with goals by Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel in the opening 26 minutes. City rallied in the second half, with David Silva scoring in the 57th and Glen Johnson’s own-goal five minutes later.
Bayer Leverkusen scored the fastest goal of the season on Stefan Kiessling’s header 40 seconds after kickoff on Sunday and beat Hertha Berlin 2-1 in the Bundesliga return for its new coach, moving up one place into fourth.
In the late match, Hoffenheim beat Augsburg 2-0 to come within two points of its opponent in eighth place.
