LIVERPOOL: Mohamed Salah was inevitably on the scoresheet as Liverpool took full advantage of the inactivity of their top-four rivals to thrash West Ham United 4-1 at Anfield and provisionally move into second in the Premier League.
With leaders Manchester City facing Arsenal in the League Cup final on Sunday, when Manchester United host Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur travel to Crystal Palace in the league, Juergen Klopp’s free scorers topped 100 goals for the season in their 40th match.
Emre Can, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane also netted in another Liverpool goal rush that moved them 15 points behind Pep Guardiola’s City.
Liverpool’s win was not quite as routine as the scoreline suggested with West Ham occasionally threatening on another nerve-tingling Anfield afternoon although David Moyes’ long wait for a first win at the ground continues.
Salah scored for the sixth successive game in all competitions and his goal took him level with Harry Kane at the top of the Premier League scoring charts with 23 this season.
But Can was equally influential in Liverpool’s win, heading the opener and laying on a superb through pass for Firmino to score Liverpool’s third before Mane chipped in with a fourth goal in two games.
“It is difficult to be top, Manchester City are too far away, but of course we want to finish second,” said the German, whose six league goals represent the best haul of his Liverpool career which could be in its final season as his contract expires at the end of the campaign.
At the bottom of the table, the future of West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew looks increasingly bleak after their 2-1 defeat at home to relegation rivals Huddersfield Town.
Swansea City crashed 4-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Newcastle United.
Mohamed Salah stars again as Liverpool go second in the Premier League
Mohamed Salah stars again as Liverpool go second in the Premier League
Four champions crowned as WBC Boxing Grand Prix concludes in Riyadh
- Riyadh Season continues to attract major international sporting events and reinforce Riyadh’s growing presence on the global sports stage
RIYADH: The WBC Boxing Grand Prix concluded on Saturday at Boulevard City in Riyadh Season with four closely contested finals, all decided by unanimous decision, bringing an eight-month international tournament to a dramatic close.
The final fight night saw world titles decided across four weight divisions, with each champion receiving the World Boxing Council’s championship belt along with a $100,000 prize, while runners-up earned $50,000.
Australia’s Dylan Biggs claimed the middleweight title after securing a unanimous decision victory in a bout defined by physical strength and tactical discipline, writing his name into the history of the inaugural edition of the tournament.
In the heavyweight final, Argentina’s Kevin Ramirez was crowned champion after defeating Bosnia’s Ahmed Krnjic by unanimous decision. Ramirez controlled the contest throughout, earning sustained applause from the Riyadh crowd as he lifted the trophy.
The featherweight division title went to Mexico’s Brandon Mejia Mosqueda, who overcame Italy’s Mohamed Gamli by unanimous decision in a fast-paced contest that highlighted his speed and technical ability, and reinforced his status as one of the division’s emerging talents.
Colombia’s Carlos Otria secured the super lightweight crown after a competitive and high-tempo bout against Uzbekistan’s Mujibullah Tursunov. Following sustained exchanges over the rounds, the judges awarded Otria a unanimous decision.
All four finals were staged under professional regulations approved by the WBC, within an organisational framework designed to provide rising talents with a global platform. The event reflected the continued partnership between Riyadh Season and the WBC, aimed at raising international competition standards and showcasing emerging boxers.
The tournament began in April, featuring 128 boxers from more than 40 countries competing across multiple stages. The initiative was launched last December by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Arabian Boxing Federation, in partnership with the WBC, with the aim of creating a global pathway for young fighters to compete at the highest level.
The conclusion of the WBC Boxing Grand Prix highlighted the tournament’s strong fan engagement and organisational success, as Riyadh Season continues to attract major international sporting events and reinforce Riyadh’s growing presence on the global sports stage.
