Premier League 2024-25: Nunez, Salah score in Liverpool’s win over Southampton; Late Joao Pedro penalty helps Brighton past Fulham

Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah struck within three minutes in the second half in a 3-1 victory over last-placed Southampton on Saturday that gave the Premier League leader 16 provisional points of breathing room at the top of the table.

Arne Slot’s men have 70 points after 29 games, while second-placed Arsenal has 54 but two games in hand. Besieged Southampton is 20th on nine points, 13 points from safety.

Will Smallbone stunned the crowd at a sun-drenched Anfield with a goal for the visitors in first-half injury time, when a mix-up between Reds goalkeeper Alisson and centre-back Virgil van Dijk saw the ball fall invitingly to Smallbone, who scored from an angle.

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The league leader thoroughly dominated after the break and Nunez levelled in the 51st minute after Luis Diaz worked the ball past two Southampton defenders before teeing up the Uruguayan who slotted home from close range.

Nunez drew a penalty three minutes later when Smallbone caught him on the back of the ankle in the box, and Salah unleashed a blistering shot from the spot past Aaron Ramsdale into the inside side netting. Salah padded Liverpool’s lead with a second penalty in the 87th minute after a handball from Yukinari Sugawara.

Sarr shoots Crystal Palace to 1-0 win over struggling Ipswich

A beautiful chipped finish from Ismaila Sarr late in the second half gave Crystal Palace a 1-0 home win over relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on Saturday, with the visitor left to rue a slew of missed chances in a lively Premier League game.

The win moves the Eagles to 11th place on 39 points, while Ipswich remains in the bottom three in 18th spot on 17 points, five behind 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, who face Everton later.

Late Pedro penalty earns Brighton 2-1 win over Fulham

A Joao Pedro penalty in added time earned Brighton & Hove Albion a 2-1 home Premier League win over Fulham on Saturday, moving the hosts up to sixth place in the standings and boosting its bid to qualify for European football.

After a cautious opening half-hour, Fulham’s Alex Iwobi brought the game to life when he embarked on a lung-busting run down the right flank and sent in a pinpoint cross that Raul Jimenez chested down and fired past Bart Verbruggen in the 35th minute.

Brighton and Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro, second left, celebrates scoring the side’s second goal of the game during their English Premier League match against Fulham.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Five minutes later the south-coast club equalised through Jan Paul van Hecke, who was left completely unmarked at the far post and headed home a Yasin Ayari free kick for his first Brighton goal.

Just as it looked like the spoils would be shared following a scrappy second half, Pedro was bowled over by a clumsy tackle from Harrison Reed in the fifth minute of stoppage time and the Brazil international stepped up to calmly slot home the winner.