The joy and the pain came together for Luis Diaz. Bruised but brilliant, he ensured Brighton were beaten. For Liverpool, it was comfortable progress. An eighth straight win halved their deficit to Manchester City to three points. The title race remains very much on.
A January signing has given Jurgen Klopp’s side added impetus and even on the day when Mohamed Salah reached 20 goals in a Premier League season for a fourth time, in turn taking Liverpool to 2,000 in the competition, the Colombian was their courageous catalyst.
Robert Sanchez smashed into Diaz as he scored his second Liverpool goal. Once he had picked himself off the turf, he resumed his work of tormenting Brighton. His combination of pace, directness and ferocious work ethic underlined the sense he is a natural fit for Klopp’s brand of football. “He was unplayable at times,” said Andy Robertson.
Diaz’s goal combined the admirable with the reprehensible. Fresh from winning the Premier League’s player-of-the-month award for February, Joel Matip staked an early case to retain the award. He curled a pass over the Brighton defence in the manner of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Diaz timed his run perfectly and displayed the bravery to head the ball in as he was clattered. “It is what a striker has to do and he did really well,” Klopp said. “He is the only person who knows exactly how quick he is. To get in there with the head is brave.”
But it was reckless, dangerous and hideous from Sanchez, amounting to an unwanted impression of Toni Schumacher’s infamous challenge in the 1982 World Cup; somehow the officials did not deem it a red card. His manager provided the case for the defence. “I think it was an accidental one; the quality of the pass and the run has been too much for him,” Graham Potter said. Sanchez made a more legitimate intervention to save Diaz’s 90th-minute shot and deny him a second.
An early red card might have led to a rout. Against 11 men, Klopp noted: “We had our chances.” Salah ended what was a drought, at least by his standards, rifling a spot kick into the roof of the net after Yves Bissouma handled Naby Keita’s shot.
Before his first goal in four games, Salah had been relentless, if also a little selfish. After hitting both posts against Inter Milan, he struck the bar with a shot that looped up off Lewis Dunk. He had dragged a shot wide while he was denied by Sanchez when he sprang a counter-attack and surged past Bissouma. He was the supplier when Sanchez tipped Sadio Mane’s close-range shot past the post. Salah departed early, potentially hurt.
“Something is not 100 per cent right,” said Klopp. “The foot got slightly overstretched but he thinks it is not serious.” There might be an unfortunate irony for Liverpool if, after the assault on Diaz, Salah was the scorer who gets sidelined.
But the team rolled on. “Consistency is the most difficult thing in football but the most exhausting as well,” Klopp reflected. Brighton have the wrong sort: after only losing four of their first 24 league matches, they have five straight defeats, their worst run in the division. Their day was summed up when Adam Lallana came on and limped off a few minutes later.
They are the joint lowest scorers at home this season and profligacy is a familiar problem. The recalled Neal Maupay fizzed an early shot wide. When he picked out Leandro Trossard at the start of the second half, the Belgian blazed wastefully over. Alisson made a brilliant late save from Danny Welbeck. “Ali deserved his clean sheet,” Klopp concluded.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
25-MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze
On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor
