Chelsea vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Gabriel pokes Gunners to victory

In a troubled year, there was at least some good news for Harry Maguire. An England defender made an awful blunder in a high-profile game, gifting a crucial goal. And it wasn’t him. Eric Dier may have had a solitary mitigating factor for a hideous mistake, misjudging a header to Hugo Lloris, picking out Mohamed Salah and seeing the Egyptian dink in his second and decisive goal of the game.

As Liverpool won in London, they were separated from Tottenham hotspur by the kind of mistake the commanding pair of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate did not make.

But Dier’s brain was scrambled, his body battered. Salah was the scorer but Dier’s tormentor was Darwin Nunez. He had the footballing equivalent of facing Jonah Lomu in full flight, an awesome combination of pace, power and unleashed aggression. Dier may sensed it was an unfair contest long before Salah doubled his tally; indeed, before he was lost in no-man’s land when Nunez teed up the Egyptian for his 11th-minute opener.

The Uruguayan had already threatened with two efforts. They were warning shots, heralding what was, even without a goal, arguably his best performance for Liverpool.

A game that went against some recent trends, right down to how Liverpool’s win put them seven points closer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Antonio Conte’s side didn’t this time complete a second-half comeback. Liverpool this time didn’t buckle. It came pretty close to going the other direction, though, particularly with how Harry Kane’s brilliantly improvised late header landed just the wrong side of the post. He couldn’t equal match-winner Mohamed Salah in that way, in what was otherwise a game of equals that belied that gap in the table.

Yet another good game between these two sides showed why both have not been to their best levels. You could mainly see why the two have had such issues, if also frustration about why they were not better.

There was Spurs’ force once they got going, but also an ongoing softness at the back in another false start. There was Liverpool linking up and attacking in the wondrous way they can, but also a persistent imbalance in their formation.

They just about held firm, though, which meant Jurgen Klopp’s celebration with the away fans at the end was even more raucous than those which greeted either of Salah’s goals.

“I think we were lucky in the first half, we played quite good and managed to score two goals. In the second half we could’ve scored but were unlucky.

“We did well to get the three points. It is always a tough opponent. I’m focused on making a difference and managed to do so today.

“We managed to strike back a few times in the season, have played some good games.”

Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the Premier League to gain a much-needed boost in the top-four fight.

The visitors started fast and took a deserved lead just over ten minutes in, Darwin Nunez teeing up Mohamed Salah to fire home after a neat piece of control.

Spurs’ response was gradual but almost effective; Ivan Perisic saw a glancing header diverted onto the post by Alisson in their closest attempt but, shortly before the break, the Reds’ lead was doubled as Eric Dier’s attempted header back to his goalkeeper was woefully short and Salah raced in to clip home a second.

The hosts started the second half far better and Perisic again hit the woodwork, the bar this time after a Ryan Sessegnon cutback, but it took until the 69th minute for Harry Kane to finally reduce the arrears with a clinical finish. Spurs pushed on looking for an equaliser but Jurgen Klopp’s side just about held on for their first away league win of the campaign.

Here are the player ratings from north London on Sunday:

Mo Salah has 19 goals and assists after 20 games in all competitions this season for Liverpool (14 goals, 5 assists); in his six seasons with the club, only once before has he had more goal involvements after 20 games (28 in 2021/22).

That victory means that Liverpool move up to eighth in the Premier League table yet remain seven points behind Tottenham who slip to fourth thanks to Newcastle 4-1 win over Southampton earlier today.

Will this victory kick Jurgen Klopp’s men into a winning run?

90+4 mins: Liverpool hold on! They run down the clock and record their first away win in the Premier League this season. The damage was done in the first half thanks to Mo Salah.

Spurs bounced back in the second as they have done for most of the season and Harry Kane gave them hope of a comeback. In the end though the Reds take all three points.

90+2 mins: Mo Salah heads off the pitch to be replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Kulusevski curls a cross into the penalty area but Virgil van Dijk gets his head to the ball first and nods it back out of the box.

Two minutes left to play.

90 mins: Four minutes of added time to play as Spurs win a corner. The set piece gets swung into the middle but Joe Gomez is there to win the initial header before Mo Salah scoops the ball clear.

88 mins: Joe Gomez comes on to Darwin Nunez for Liverpool and shore up the defensive line. Jurgen Klopp is trying to defend this slender lead.

Two minutes of the 90 plus stoppage time to play. Are we in for some late drama?