Liverpool Tops EPL, Man United’s Rally, Newcastle’s Upset

Liverpool Tops EPL, Man United's Rally, Newcastle's Upset

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Liverpool regained the Premier League summit with a 2-0 Boxing Day triumph over Burnley. Darwin Nunez’s early goal and a late strike from Diogo Jota secured their sixth consecutive Boxing Day win under manager Juergen Klopp.

The victory, propelling Liverpool to 42 points from 19 games, surpassed Arsenal, currently with 40 points before their London derby against West Ham United.

Despite dominating the first half with goals disallowed by VAR and a near miss from Mohamed Salah, Liverpool faced a resurgent Burnley in the second half. 

Jota’s decisive goal in the 90th minute sealed the victory and provided relief for Klopp. Liverpool now prepares for the next phase of the season with Klopp expressing satisfaction with the team’s performance.

In another thrilling match, Manchester United staged a remarkable comeback at Old Trafford to defeat Aston Villa 3-2. 

Trailing by two goals at halftime, United’s Alejandro Garnacho scored a brace, canceling out John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker’s first-half goals for Villa. 

Rasmus Hojlund then secured the winner in the 82nd minute with his first Premier League goal. The victory propelled United to the sixth position in the league, and manager Erik ten Hag praised the team’s belief in securing the comeback.

Newcastle United suffered a setback, succumbing to a surprising 3-1 home defeat by Nottingham Forest. Chris Wood, a former Newcastle player, secured the win with a hat-trick. 

Despite an early lead from Alexander Isak’s penalty, this marked Newcastle’s fifth loss in seven recent games across various competitions, intensifying concerns over their form.

In the relegation battle, Luton Town emerged victorious in a 3-2 win against Sheffield United, thanks to two own goals. The basement battle saw Sheffield United lose a late lead as Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane scored their own goals in the final 13 minutes.

Bournemouth continued their good form, moving into the top half of the table with a 3-0 victory over Fulham, featuring goals from Justin Kluivert, Dominic Solanke, and Luis Sinisterra.