Soccer

Mo Salah bags brace as Liverpool overcome Bournemouth test

The Reds have won 17 of their 23 league games this season.

Mo Salah celebrates after scoring the first of his two goals at Bournemouth from the penalty spot
Mo Salah celebrates after scoring the first of his two goals at Bournemouth from the penalty spot (John Walton/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

Mo Salah’s double sealed Liverpool a 2-0 win at in-form Bournemouth and extended his side’s lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points.

Salah converted a first-half penalty after VAR confirmed Lewis Cook had sent Cody Gakpo tumbling in the box and the Egypt forward struck a brilliant second after the break to secure Liverpool’s 17th league win in 23 games.

Bournemouth, who went into the game unbeaten in 11 league matches, gave Arne Slot’s side a stern test as they slipped to their first loss since November 23.

In the lunch-time kick-off, Chris Wood fired a hat-trick as Nottingham Forest bounced back from last week’s 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth by thrashing high-flying Brighton 7-0.

Morgan Gibbs-White forced Lewis Dunk to put the ball in his own net for the opener before scoring one of his own to give the hosts control.

Wood headed home his first and Anthony Elanga completed a hat-trick of assists when setting up the striker’s second.

Wood claimed his hat-trick from the penalty spot before Neco Williams and Jota Silva finished the rout for Forest’s biggest Premier League victory since April 1991, when they beat Chelsea 7-0.

Southampton revived their faint survival hopes with only a second Premier League victory of the season thanks to Paul Onuachu’s 87th-minute winner at Ipswich.

This bottom-of-the-table clash looked destined to finish all square after Ipswich hitman Liam Delap struck his ninth goal of the campaign after 31 minutes to cancel out Joe Aribo’s opener at Portman Road.

A point did little for either team’s survival prospects and as the seconds ticked away Kieran McKenna’s men looked more likely to claim a late winner but they were stunned when Onuachu fired in after Arijanet Muric spilled Kamaldeen Sulemana’s low effort to secure Saints a precious 2-1 away win.

Abdoulaye Doucoure struck after just 10 seconds – the fourth fastest goal in Premier League history – as Everton powered to a 4-0 victory over struggling Leicester.

Beto then netted twice before the interval and Iliman Ndiaye completed the scoring in the final minute to heap more woe on under-pressure Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose side have lost eight of their last nine.

Under David Moyes, Everton have won three consecutive league matches for the first time since April after an initial defeat on his return to the club.

Substitute Rodrigo Muniz condemned Newcastle boss Eddie Howe to defeat in his 700th game as a manager as Fulham came from behind to edge a 2-1 win at St James’ Park.

The Magpies went ahead when Jacob Murphy marked his 200th appearance for the club with his fourth goal of the season but Raul Jimenez struck his 11th of the campaign and Muniz snatched victory eight minutes from time.

Aston Villa missed the chance to close ground on the Champions League places after losing 2-0 at Wolves, who climbed out of the bottom three.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde gave Wolves a half-time lead and although the home side came under heavy pressure in the second period, Matheus Cunha sealed their first league win since Boxing Day with a fine solo effort in time added on.

Villa crashed back down to earth in Saturday’s evening kick-off after a 4-2 win over Celtic in midweek booked their place in the Champions League’s last 16, slipping to their first league defeat in six matches.