Luis Diaz started, Mohamed Salah returned, but it was Diogo Jota who stole the limelight by scoring twice for Liverpool in their 2-0 win over Leicester City. Elsewhere, Arsenal crept past Wolves with three points despite playing much of the second half with 10 men.
Liverpool kept up with Manchester City by beating Leicester, 2-0. Diogo Jota scored a goal in each half to help the Reds past the Foxes. However, the scoreline could’ve been far worse for Brendan Rodgers’s men had it not been for an inspired Kasper Schmeichel, who made nine saves during the game.
Jota gave Liverpool the lead in the 34th minute, scoring from a rebound after Schmeichel had saved a goalbound header from Virgil van Dijk. The Portugal international’s 100th goal in club football did spark the title-chasers into action, but they were kept at bay by Schmeichel making several crucial saves throughout the remainder of the first half – and for much of the second.
Back from his AFCON duties, Mohamed Salah entered the pitch after the interval, Jurgen Klopp turning to his best attacker to counter the Leicester custodian’s heroics. The Egyptian drew two good saves from the Dane and hit the crossbar with a curled effort from the right side of the box.
New signing Luis Diaz, too, came close to scoring his first goal for the club – on his first start – but was denied the chance to do so by an outstanding Schmeichel. Jota, finally, beat the Denmark international again in the 87th minute when he squeezed a shot in at his near post – confirming a 2-0 win for the Reds.
Elsewhere, Arsenal beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0, despite playing much of the second half with a man fewer. Mikel Arteta’s men had taken the lead through Gabriel Magalhaes in the 25th minute after the defender touched the ball into an unguarded net following a corner.
However, the Gunners had to play the final twenty minutes of the match without Gabriel Martinelli, who, remarkably, received two bookings within the same sequence of play and was sent off.
Wolves did have the ball in the net moments after Martinelli’s expulsion. The goal, scored past his own goalkeeper by Granit Xhaka, was ruled out for an offside in the build-up. A minute later, Alexandre Lacazette found himself one-on-one with Jose Sa at the other end but curled his shot outside the width of the gaping goal. Wolves survived the break, while Arsenal survived the ensuing Wolves onslaught and came out with the three points intact.
