Leeds vs Liverpool live updates as Reds travel to Elland Road for crunch clash

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Liverpool hit Leeds for six as Mo Salah inspires much-needed win

A swashbuckling performance gave Liverpool a much-needed win on the road and condemned Leeds to their second successive heavy home defeat.

The Reds ran out 6-1 winners on Monday, with Mohamed Salah looking back to his best and scoring twice to finish a pair of well-executed counter attacks. But it was mostly possessional dominance from Jurgen Klopp 's team, who took the lead through Cody Gakpo's controversial goal 10 minutes before the break.

Salah soon doubled their advantage before Luis Sinisterra capitalised on an Ibrahima Konate error, making it 2-1 early in the second half. Unlike in most of their Premier League away games this season, though, Liverpool produced a positive response, with Diogo Jota ending his 33-game goal drought with a double of his own, Salah bagging a second and Darwin Nunez stroking home for six.

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Liverpool have ran out 6-1 winners to heap more misery on Leeds and their hopes of Premier League survival.

Nunez makes it six!

There were barely any home fans left in Elland Road to witness it (who can blame them?) but Darwin Nunez has come on and made it 6 (SIX)-1!

It's FIVE!

Jota now has his second, after waiting so long for one.

Leeds are on course to lose two games in a row by the scoreline of 5-1!

Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move

Salah surely ends the tie as a contest, 4-1!

Salah has his second after some neat work from Gakpo and Liverpool are well and truly out of sight.

Leeds have now shipped nine goals in their last two home games.

What a start to the second half!

Luis Sinisterra gave the Elland Road faithful something to shout about when he made the score 2-1 with a deft chip over Alisson.

However, Liverpool have already restored their two goal advantage with Diogo Jota making it 3-1!

2-0!

It's two in just over three minutes, with Mohamed Salah firing home a thunderous left-footed strike.

1-0 Liverpool!

Cody Gakpo taps home from close range after Trent Alexander-Arnold put the chance on a silver platter for the Dutchman.

The goal was subject to a VAR check as it appeared to hit Alexander-Arnold's arm in the build-up, but the strike stands!

Nothing to separate the two just yet

20 minutes into the game and neither Leeds nor Liverpool have managed to deliver any kind of meaningful blow on the other.

It is the Reds dominating possession in the opening exchanges.

Liverpool's transfer boost

Liverpool's plans to bolster their midfield this summer have received a boost after one of their transfer targets reacted favourably to an approach from the club.

After a lengthy pursuit of England player Jude Bellingham, The Reds admitted defeat last week and conceded they could not afford a fee north of £80 million for the Borussia Dortmund man. Fans reacted with disillusionment, but Jurgen Klopp sought to brush off the saga by claiming "it's not rocket science" as to why the signing couldn't happen.

But the manager has moved quickly to quell the disappointment with a move for another Bundesliga star. Ryan Gravenberch, who signed for German champions Bayern Munich from Ajax for around £20million in the summer, is reportedly keen to head to Merseyside.

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Vela fires Galaxy dig

LAFC won the Los Angeles bragging rights on Sunday night as they claimed the first El Trafico of the season 3-2, and captain Carlos Vela sent a damning message after the final whistle.

LA Galaxy's woes continued on Sunday as they lost their third-straight El Trafico derby against rivals LAFC, with the two sides continuing their contrasting form. Vela was the star of the show as he scored twice and assisted Ryan Hollingshead for LAFC's third, and rubbed it in at full-time.

LAFC have established dominance in the derby after only previously being able to beat LA Galaxy twice in their history. And Vela is confident that their success could become a regular pattern moving forward.

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Boehly addressed Chelsea flops after Brighton

A furious Todd Boehly was not happy with his Chelsea players after the 2-1 defeat against Brighton - and decided to address them in the Stamford Bridge dressing room following the full-time whistle.

Frank Lampard's side took the lead inside the opening quarter of an hour through Conor Gallagher's effort, before ex-Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck equalised just before half-time.

Brighton then found a deserved second-half winner after dominating large spells of the game as Julio Enciso fired home from long-range to give the visitors all three points in west London.

It was a result that saw the Seagulls complete the double over Chelsea and move closer to the European places, leaving Lampard's men inside the bottom half of the Premier League table.

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Klopp's Mane message seen in new light

When Sadio Mane left Liverpool last summer, Jurgen Klopp made it clear that he believed the attacker would be a success at new club Bayern Munich.

But those comments have been thrown into a new light amid the Senegal international's dreadful campaign in Germany. Mane fell out of favour during the end of Julian Nagelsmann's time as manager and has struggled to cement himself under new boss Thomas Tuchel.

The low point of his time at the Allianz Arena came after Bayern's defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League. It has been alleged that Mane had an altercation with team-mate Leory Sane after the game, leaving the winger with a busted lip.

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Chelsea hold Nagelsmann meeting

Chelsea have held face to face talks with former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann as the Blues step up their search for Graham Potter's permanent replacement.

Potter was sacked by Chelsea earlier this month after less than seven months in charge, with the club languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League following a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa. Just four days later, Frank Lampard returned to Stamford Bridge as caretaker manager until the end of the season while the club looks for a more permanent successor.

Nagelsmann, who was himself sacked by Bayern in March, was immediately linked with the role along with the likes of former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique and ex-PSG and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.

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Man Utd transfer latest

Manchester United continue to draw up plans for the summer transfer window amid ongoing developments on the takeover of the club.

The unpopular Glazers are in talks to sell United with the auction of the Premier League club close to entering its final stages. There is hope from supporters that new owners will bring increased investment and a bigger transfer budget to improve the squad.

On the pitch, Sunday’s 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest saw United climb above Newcastle into third place in the Premier League table and Erik Ten Hag’s side now look nailed on to qualify for the Champions League.

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Ref Taylor still buys season ticket

Anthony Taylor buys a season ticket for Altrincham every year, despite being unable to attend most matches due to his job as a Premier League referee.

Taylor has been officiating Premier League matches since February 2010 and has taken charge of 336 games to date. The 44-year-old has worked his way up the divisions, starting out in the North Premier League in 2002.

Born in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, he grew up supporting nearby Altrincham, rather than Manchester United or Manchester City. And, despite working most weekends for the past 21 years, he remains involved at the National League side, where he helps with club events.

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Woods hits back at O'Hara over Arsenal

Arsenal fan and talkSPORT presenter Laura Woods brutally mocked colleague Jamie O'Hara after the former Tottenham player's attempts to troll the Gunners backfired.

After Mikel Arteta's side dropped points for the second consecutive game in a 2-2 draw with West Ham on Sunday, O'Hara attempted to poke fun at Arsenal and joke they are 'crumbling' in the Premier League title race. However, he made a big mistake by posting a GIF of an apple pie instead of an apple crumble.

And Woods ripped into O'Hara over his blunder, saying: "My favourite moment from the weekend was that he sent me a DM about Arsenal's performances, forgetting that I watch football and understand what happened to Spurs as well.

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Keane proved right over Arteta warning

A week is a long time in football - just ask Mikel Arteta.

Prior to last weekend's frenetic 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield, Arsenal were in pole position to end an agonising 19-year title drought ahead of Manchester City. But one week after blowing a two-goal lead on Merseyside, Arsenal imploded again against West Ham on Sunday.

The Gunners dropped precious points in the title race after spurning another 2-0 lead in east London ahead of their seismic showdown with Manchester City next week. The gap between Arsenal and Pep Guardiola's side now stands at just four points; but with City having played one game less, the defending champions know that they will be red-hot favourites to reclaim their crown if they can best Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.

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Guardiola has Mane theory

Pep Guardiola thinks Sadio Mane’s dressing room bust-up with Bayern Munich teammate Leroy Sane proved ‘conflict’ is sometimes needed in football - and the Manchester City manager reckons it could help galvanise the German side in their bid to overturn a first-leg deficit.

City comfortably saw off the Bundesliga leaders in last week’s Champions League quarter-final tie. Goals from Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland mean Guardiola’s charges take a healthy 3-0 lead into Wednesday’s second leg at the Allianz Arena.

The host's dominance led to an argument between Mane and Sane on the pitch in the latter stages of the game, with things getting heated when they returned to the dressing room. Former Liverpool forward Mane is alleged to have punched Sane, the ex-City winger.

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Arteta keeps faith with Saka

Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka will continue taking penalties for Arsenal after his crucial miss against West Ham on Sunday.

With Arsenal 2-1 up, Saka missed from the spot. The Hammers went on to punish their London rivals, with Jarrod Bowen scoring moments later. The 2-2 draw means Arsenal are now just four points ahead of Manchester City having played a game more.

Saka has apologised for Arsenal fans for missing the penalty. It's not the first time the 21-year-old has missed from the spot - as his effort in the Euro 2020 final for England against Italy was saved - but Arteta has not lost faith in his penalty-taking ability.

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Barca chief responds to Messi rumours

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is extremely confident that Lionel Messi will make a return to the club in the summer transfer window.

Messi left Barca to join Paris Saint-Germain two years ago, but with his contract set to expire at the end of June, the possibility of a return is on the cards. The 35-year-old has been linked with MLS side Inter Miami, as well as a move to Saudi Arabia, while PSG could still extend his contract.

But the chance to add to his staggering tally of 672 goals, 778 appearances and 35 trophies and play under his former team-mate and friend Xavi Hernandez’s management is an enticing proposition. Laporta recently met with Messi’s father Jorge and is working hard to bring him back to Spain.

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Mac Allister set for crunch transfer decision

Brighton's World Cup winning hero Alexis Mac Allister has been heavily linked with a move away from the Amex, with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal all credited with an interest in the 24-year-old's services.

Mac Allister started all but one game for Argentina as they won the World Cup and his impressive displays in Qatar and for Brighton have sparked heavy speculation about his future. The midfielder's father, Carlos, recently revealed Mac Allister is "most likely" to leave Brighton this summer.

"Normally the next [transfer window] will find him playing in another institution, we don't know which one," he told Puro Boca, as per bolavip. "The talks are just beginning in general, but it is most likely that Alexis will already be playing in another team next July."

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Lineker makes telling Arsenal point

Gary Lineker claims that Arsenal would not ‘bottle’ the Premier League title even if they get pipped by Manchester City over the final weeks of the season.

The Gunners have seen their lead over the reigning champions cut to just four points after consecutive matches in which they’ve let a two-nil lead slip to Liverpool and West Ham. That has handed the title advantage to Pep Guardiola ’s side who will be in prime position should they win their game in-hand and their key title showdown with the North London side next week.

Given that Arsenal have been leading the standings for every single matchday but three, there have been claims that the Gunners would be bottling the title race should they not claim the trophy at the end of next month. Match of the Day host Lineker has responded to those suggestions though and does not agree.

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Xhaka backs Saka after penalty miss

Granit Xhaka has urged Arsenal fans to back Bukayo Saka following his penalty miss at West Ham. England’s Gunners winger sent his effort wide with his side 2-0 up.

The miss was his first from the spot in his five since the Euros two years ago. Racists targeted Saka back then and on Sunday night - but Xhaka called on genuine fans to support the 21-year-old. “We don’t need to blame anybody,” said the Swiss midfielder. “Not Bukayo, not any player.

“I mean, of course he missed the penalty. It happens, not only to him but to bigger, bigger players than him. This is part of the job, part of his career.”

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Lampard receives surprise Real Madrid boost

The Spanish press have said that Real Madrid are 'already crying', with the appointment of referee Daniele Orsato for their Champions League quarter final second leg with Chelsea being criticised following notable World Cup criticism from Luka Modric.

The animosity directed towards the Italian stems from the 2019-20 Champions League, with a clash against Manchester City being officiated by Orsato. He awarded a penalty against Los Blancos in the first-half, with Raheem Sterling deemed to have been fouled by Dani Carvajal before sending off Sergio Ramos for a foul on Gabriel Jesus.

Catalan outlet Sport have already highlighted previous clashes, with the Barcelona supporting publication claiming that Madrid are 'already crying' amid the appointment. The 47-year-old was crowned by IFFHS as the best referee in 2020, before also being chosen to referee that year's Champions League final as well as being selected for the World Cup due to his strong reputation.

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Dalot sends firm Man Utd message

Diogo Dalot says Manchester United shut out the “noise” surrounding their injury crisis and proved they have the squad to cope with it.

Sunday afternoon's 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest moved United back up to third spot, six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, with a game in hand. Erik ten Hag is currently without several key players, including top scorer Marcus Rashford and first-choice central defensive pairing of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

Martinez is out for the season, while Ten Hag is also missing Luke Shaw, Marcel Sabitzer, Scott McTominay, Tyrell Malacia, Donny van de Beek and Alejandro Garnacho.

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Xhaka disagrees with Arteta over title message

No anger, no recriminations and no feeling sorry for themselves. Granit Xhaka and his Arsenal team-mates are confident that they are still masters of their own title destiny.

Unflinching and undaunted, the Switzerland midfielder stopped for the tape recorders and the microphones in the wake of Sunday’s collapse at West Ham. Confident and articulate, his leadership in summing up the situation impressed at a time when some have convinced themselves that the Gunners are wobbling.

And in many ways he is right - nobody believed Arsenal, top four contenders back in August, would even be in this position at the start of the season. Did you?

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Richards sends title warning to Arsenal

Micah Richards believes Arsenal "have to get a result" against Manchester City if they want to win the Premier League title.

The Gunners travel to the Etihad to take on Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, April 26. Mikel Arteta's team are four points ahead of City with a game in hand, a lead that was eight points before Easter. Slowly but seemingly surely, City are catching Arsenal.

Richards, who is a City legend but supported Arsenal as a kid, doesn't believe the Gunners will regain their advantage over City if they lose at the Etihad. Arsenal haven't won a Premier League title for 19 years and pressure is beginning to build on Arteta's players.

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Gravenberch drops Reds hint

Liverpool have stepped up their interest in signing Ryan Gravenberch – and the Dutch midfielder has already been pictured wearing the club’s shirt.

The Reds are exploring possibilities ahead of what will be a hugely important summer transfer window. Jude Bellingham is no longer a transfer target, with Jurgen Klopp admitting on Friday that Liverpool simply don’t have the money to sign the Borussia Dortmund star.

That admission has made it clear that Liverpool are looking elsewhere for midfielders, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner all set to leave the club. Gravenberch has emerged as a viable option, with the 20-year-old struggling for game time at Bayern Munich this season.

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