Susbtitute Mane Help Liverpool To 25pts Lead Atop PL Table
Liverpool, run-away leaders of the Premier League are now 25 comfortable points atop second-placed Manchester City. A second half goal from Sadio Mane gave the Reds a hard-fought win over Norwich City to help them to a 25point lead.
Mane who was making a return from injury came off the bench to score the only goal of the encounter in what was a tense and nervy affair at Carrow road.
Liverpool proved to be the thirstier of both teams with Trent Alexander-Arnold trying a shot at goals with just 13 seconds on the clock gone, but his shot went just wide off the post.
The duo of Roberto Firmino and Oxlade-Chamberlain then made efforts of their own but none could hit the mark.
The visitors continued to dictate the pace of the game but found it hard to craft any beautiful chance.
Indeed, it was the Canaries who had the best chance before the interval. However, the scoreline remained the same, thanks to the safe hands of Alisson Becker.
Liverpool began the second half with the same momentum as the first as they sought a goal which could seal the game. By this time, they had succeeded in sculpting fine and clear-cut chances but were denied time and time again by the basement club’s goalie, Tim Krul.
An distant effort from Naby Keita was tipped over the bar while a Virgil Van Dijk header from corner position was also kept out.
After a chance by the combination of Salah and Keita was ruined, the pair of Mane and Firmino were thrown into the fray. However, the next chance soon fell to the hosts.
A shot by Alex Tettey really came close only to be kept out by the base of the near post.
With that miss, it was definitely time for the Reds to grab the game by the scruff of its neck and that they did. Jordan Henderson directed a diagonal pass the way of Mane with the substitute performing a swivel and slotting a powerful low shot into the goal.
