LEIPZIG, Germany: A 27th minute Darwin Nunez header took Liverpool to a controlled 1-0 win at RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, continuing their excellent start under new coach Arne Slot.
Liverpool broke through some early Leipzig pressure just before the half-hour mark when Mo Salah hit a perfect header across his body.
Nunez jumped high to tap in the goal-bound ball, grabbing his first Champions League goal since February 2023.
Despite a late Leipzig flurry, Liverpool again showed the control and resilience that has taken them to the top of the Premier League table just days out from Sunday’s clash at Arsenal.
Slot has won 11 of his first 12 games in charge in all competitions, the best start of any manager in Liverpool history, while Leipzig are now zero from three in Europe this season.
Both sides had impressed domestically this season on the back of strong defensive records, with Liverpool conceding three in eight Premier League games and Leipzig just two in seven.
Slot made three changes to the side which beat Chelsea 2-1 at home on Sunday, benching Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones for Kostas Tsimikas and Alexis Mac Allister, while Nunez replaced Jota.
Leipzig coach Marco Rose’s starting XI made his intentions clear, the coach going for the all-out attack of Lois Openda, Xavi Simons, Benjamin Sesko and Antonio Nusa.
Rose’s constellation worked early, with Leipzig pressing Liverpool hard and hitting them on the counter.
Sesko went close after 19 minutes, pouncing after Caoimhin Kelleher surged out of his box and failed to clear, but the big Slovenian’s long-range effort curled just wide of the post.
Openda scored from well outside the box on the 26-minute mark but the Belgian’s stunner was ruled out for offside.
Liverpool made Leipzig pay immediately, Nunez tapping in a goal-bound Salah header, just his second strike in nine appearances this season.
Nunez went inches from doubling up shortly after but his point blank header was well saved by Peter Gulacsi.
With one eye on Sunday’s match at Arsenal, Liverpool tried to take the sting out of the game in the second-half, controlling the match and keeping Leipzig at bay.
Salah was upset to be subbed with half an hour remaining, but by then Slot clearly had Arsenal in mind.
The home side rallied late, Openda again having a goal struck off for a clear offside, but Liverpool held on to make it three from three in the Champions League.
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Liverpool sink Leipzig to continue strong start under Slot
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Liverpool sink Leipzig to continue strong start under Slot
- Nunez jumped high to tap in the goal-bound ball, grabbing his first Champions League goal since February 2023
As expected, Alcaraz and Sabalenka named top-seeded players at the Australian Open
- Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were officially made the top-seeded players for the Australian Open which begins Sunday at Melbourne Park
- Sabalenka, Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff are the top three seeds in the women’s draw for the second consecutive year
MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were officially made the top-seeded players for the Australian Open which begins Sunday at Melbourne Park.
The announcement on Wednesday comes a day ahead of the tournament draw.
Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner was seeded second, with Alexander Zverev third and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic fourth. Sabalenka, Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff are the top three seeds in the women’s draw for the second consecutive year.
Madison Keys returns as the defending champion and the ninth-seeded player, one of four American women among the top 10 seeds.
— -
Men’s Singles Seedings
1. Carlos Alcaraz, Spain
2. Jannik Sinner, Italy
3. Alexander Zverev, Germany
4. Novak Djokovic, Serbia
5. Lorenzo Musetti, Italy
6. Alex de Minaur, Australia
7. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada
8. Ben Shelton, United States
9. Taylor Fritz, United States
10. Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan
11. Daniil Medvedev
12. Casper Ruud, Norway
13. Andrey Rublev
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Spain
15. Karen Khachanov
16. Jakub Mensik, Czech Republic
17. Jiri Lehecka, Czech Republic
18. Francisco Cerundolo, Argentina
19. Tommy Paul, United States
20. Flavio Cobolli, Italy
21. Denis Shapovalov, Canada
22. Luciano Darderi, Italy
23. Tallon Griekspoor, Netherlands
24. Arthur Rinderknech, France
25. Learner Tien, United States
26. Cameron Norrie, Britain
27. Brandon Nakashima, United States
28. Joao Fonseca, Brazil
29. Frances Tiafoe, United States
30. Valentin Vacherot, Monaco
31. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greece
32. Corentin Moutet, FranceWomen’s Singles Seedings
33. 1. Aryna Sabalenka
34. 2. Iga Świątek, Poland
35. 3. Coco Gauff, United States
36. 4. Amanda Anisimova, United States
37. 5. Elena Rybakina, Kazakhstan
38. 6. Jessica Pegula, United States
39. 7. Jasmine Paolini, Italy
40. 8. Mirra Andreeva
41. 9. Madison Keys, United States
42. 10. Belinda Bencic, Switzerland
43. 11. Ekaterina Alexandrova
44. 12. Elina Svitolina, Ukraine
45. 13. Linda Noskova, Czech Republic
46. 14. Clara Tauson, Denmark
47. 15. Emma Navarro, United States
48. 16. Naomi Osaka, Japan
49. 17. Victoria Mboko, Canada
50. 18. Liudmila Samsonova
51. 19. Karolina Muchova, Czech Republic
52. 20. Marta Kostyuk, Ukraine
53. 21. Elize Mertens, Belgium
54. 22. Leylah Fernández, Canada
55. 23. Diana Shnaider
56. 24. Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia
57. 25. Paula Badosa, Spain
58. 26. Dayana Yastremska, Ukraine
59. 27. Sofia Kenin, United States
60. 28. Emma Raducanu, Britain
61. 29. Iva Jovic, United States
62. 30. Maya Joint, Australia
63. 31. Anna Kalinskaya
64. 32. Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Republic — AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
The announcement on Wednesday comes a day ahead of the tournament draw.
Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner was seeded second, with Alexander Zverev third and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic fourth. Sabalenka, Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff are the top three seeds in the women’s draw for the second consecutive year.
Madison Keys returns as the defending champion and the ninth-seeded player, one of four American women among the top 10 seeds.
— -
Men’s Singles Seedings
1. Carlos Alcaraz, Spain
2. Jannik Sinner, Italy
3. Alexander Zverev, Germany
4. Novak Djokovic, Serbia
5. Lorenzo Musetti, Italy
6. Alex de Minaur, Australia
7. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada
8. Ben Shelton, United States
9. Taylor Fritz, United States
10. Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan
11. Daniil Medvedev
12. Casper Ruud, Norway
13. Andrey Rublev
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Spain
15. Karen Khachanov
16. Jakub Mensik, Czech Republic
17. Jiri Lehecka, Czech Republic
18. Francisco Cerundolo, Argentina
19. Tommy Paul, United States
20. Flavio Cobolli, Italy
21. Denis Shapovalov, Canada
22. Luciano Darderi, Italy
23. Tallon Griekspoor, Netherlands
24. Arthur Rinderknech, France
25. Learner Tien, United States
26. Cameron Norrie, Britain
27. Brandon Nakashima, United States
28. Joao Fonseca, Brazil
29. Frances Tiafoe, United States
30. Valentin Vacherot, Monaco
31. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greece
32. Corentin Moutet, FranceWomen’s Singles Seedings
33. 1. Aryna Sabalenka
34. 2. Iga Świątek, Poland
35. 3. Coco Gauff, United States
36. 4. Amanda Anisimova, United States
37. 5. Elena Rybakina, Kazakhstan
38. 6. Jessica Pegula, United States
39. 7. Jasmine Paolini, Italy
40. 8. Mirra Andreeva
41. 9. Madison Keys, United States
42. 10. Belinda Bencic, Switzerland
43. 11. Ekaterina Alexandrova
44. 12. Elina Svitolina, Ukraine
45. 13. Linda Noskova, Czech Republic
46. 14. Clara Tauson, Denmark
47. 15. Emma Navarro, United States
48. 16. Naomi Osaka, Japan
49. 17. Victoria Mboko, Canada
50. 18. Liudmila Samsonova
51. 19. Karolina Muchova, Czech Republic
52. 20. Marta Kostyuk, Ukraine
53. 21. Elize Mertens, Belgium
54. 22. Leylah Fernández, Canada
55. 23. Diana Shnaider
56. 24. Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia
57. 25. Paula Badosa, Spain
58. 26. Dayana Yastremska, Ukraine
59. 27. Sofia Kenin, United States
60. 28. Emma Raducanu, Britain
61. 29. Iva Jovic, United States
62. 30. Maya Joint, Australia
63. 31. Anna Kalinskaya
64. 32. Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Republic — AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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