Soccer

Diego Jota makes up for lost time with brace as Liverpool win Forest thriller

Premier League round-up: Douglas Luiz grabs late Villa equaliser at Brentford; Timothy Castagne gives Leicester a survival lifeline; Everton into drop zone after Palace draw

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring their third goal during the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at Anfield. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring their third goal during the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at Anfield. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images
Sat Apr 22 2023 - 17:43

Liverpool 3 Nottingham Forest 2

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota is making up for lost time after his double against Nottingham Forest made it four goals in six days after a year-long barren spell.

However, the 3-2 win was littered with defensive lapses and, after the visitors quickly equalised twice through former Reds defender Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White, it needed the reliable left boot of Mohamed Salah to secure victory.

Even then Liverpool’s progress to within six points of fourth-placed Newcastle was almost undone when Brennan Johnson lobbed Alisson Becker but was denied by the crossbar.

[ Premier League table ]

Jota justified Jürgen Klopp’s decision to name an unchanged side for the third successive game running for the first time since January 2020 as his mini-revival continued.

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The Portugal international, who due to injury made just 10 appearances in the first six months of the season, ended his drought with two in Monday’s 6-1 demolition of Leeds and repeated the feat to increase the pressure on fellow relegation strugglers Forest, who have now lost their last six away matches and dropped to second-bottom as a result.

Brentford 1 Aston Villa 1

Douglas Luiz grabbed a late equaliser as Aston Villa snatched a 1-1 draw at Brentford.

Ivan Toney looked to have secured a 100th win as Brentford boss for Thomas Frank with his 20th goal of the season.

But Villa have yet to not score in a match since Unai Emery was appointed manager last October, and Luiz kept up that record as their late European challenge just about stayed on track.

Villa were unchanged from their 3-0 win over Newcastle last weekend, but were unable to match that dazzling display against a physical Bees side.

Leicester 2 Wolves 1

Timothy Castagne gave Leicester a survival lifeline after a vital 2-1 comeback win over Wolves.

The Foxes climbed out of the relegation zone on goal difference following a first victory in 10 top-flight games.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s penalty cancelled out Matheus Cunha’s opener in Dean Smith’s first home game in charge of the Foxes since replacing Brendan Rodgers.

Defeat denied Wolves a victory which would have put them on the brink of survival and left them with work still to do, sitting six points clear of the bottom three.

Crystal Palace 0 Everton 0

Everton had Mason Holgate sent off as they dropped into the relegation zone despite a battling goalless draw at Crystal Palace.

Sean Dyche’s side were forced to hang on for the final 10 minutes at Selhurst Park after Holgate was shown a second yellow card when he tripped Jordan Ayew, earning a point that did little for their survival hopes.

Leicester’s victory against Wolves meant that Everton slipped back into the bottom three after as their winless run in the league extended to five games.

The result ended Palace’s perfect winning streak under Roy Hodgson who replaced the sacked Patrick Vieira in March, but their top-flight status now looks all but secure.