Mohamed Salah rode to Liverpool's rescue once more with the winner six minutes from time as the visitors ground out a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday to move into second in the Premier League.
Luka Milivojevic drove relegation threatened Palace into a 13th minute lead from the penalty spot, and the hosts were left to rue their luck as Liverpool duo Loris Karius and Sadio Mane could easily have been sent-off.
Mane levelled four minutes after the break and, despite having one of his quieter games of an incredible debut season at Liverpool, Salah still proved the match winner.
Liverpool leapfrog bitter rivals Manchester United, but United can retake second spot behind runaway leaders Manchester City when they host Swansea later on Saturday.
A third straight home defeat for Palace leaves Roy Hodgson's men just two points above the drop zone, having played two games more than Southampton in 18th.
Despite an Uefa Champions League quarter-final, first leg with Manchester City looming at Anfield on Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp named his strongest side.
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And there was plenty to concern Klopp ahead of the European encounter with free-scoring City as Palace exposed Liverpool's defensive deficiencies.
As in their defeat to United at Old Trafford earlier this month, Liverpool were exposed down their right as young full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled to cope with the pace of power of Wilfried Zaha.
The Palace forward should have scored when he got in behind after just nine minutes, but was denied by a brave stop from Loris Karius.
The German 'keeper's form has improved markedly from his early days at Anfield, however, he was caught out by Zaha's speed when the winger flicked the ball goalward before being cleaned out by Karius.
Referee Kevin Friend awarded the penalty and deliberated before showing Karius just a yellow card.
Milivojevic is a specialist from the spot and converted his seventh penalty from eight in the Premier League this season to give Palace the lead.
Mane was booked for a theatrical fall after the slightest of contact from James McArthur and his luck was out again when he did finally get the ball in the net only to be flagged offside.
Liverpool levelled just four minutes into the second-half when James Milner's drilled cross was turned home at the near post by Mane.
But in worrying signs for Klopp, the visitors' brittle defence was only bailed out by two glaring misses from Christian Benteke.
The former Liverpool striker sent an attempted lob well wide with just Karius to beat and then shot over the bar after Van Dijk had been caught in possession by Andros Townsend.
Palace players and fans were then incensed when Mane avoided a second yellow card after deliberately handling the ball on the ground when he thought he had been fouled.
Palace conceded late against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in their previous two home games, and again failed to hold out against one of the top four.
Salah scored four in Liverpool's last outing two weeks ago against Watford, but the league's top scorer was kept in check by the Palace defence until he controlled Andy Robertson's low cross before firing home on his less favoured right foot for his 37th goal of a remarkable season.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Results
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,000m, Winner: Hazeem Al Raed, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: Ghazwan Al Khalediah, Hugo Lebouc, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Dinar Al Khalediah, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Faith And Fortune, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Only Smoke, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: AF Ramz, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mass, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
