Newcastle: The Premier League title race this season between Manchester City and Liverpool is going to the final weekend of the season after Jurgen Klopp’s men dramatically beat Newcastle United on Saturday evening. Divock Origi’s 86th-minute winner at St James’ Park earned a 3-2 victory that returned Liverpool to the top of the table, two points ahead of Man City. It puts the ball back in the champions’ court as they take on Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night. Man City will be looking to restore their one-point lead and force a record 31st change in the leadership of the Premier League. Salah was taken off after a collision with Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, to be replaced by Origi, who got his head to Xherdan Shaqiri’s free-kick late on to snatch victory. It means Man City need to beat Leicester City on Monday to go back top of the table.
Barca pay the price
MADRID: Barcelona rested all 11 players that started against Liverpool in the Champions League but paid the price on Saturday as they were beaten 2-0 by struggling Celta Vigo in La Liga. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho were all among those left out ahead of the return at Anfield on Tuesday but Barca were not unscathed, after Ousmane Dembele hobbled off early in the first half.
The club later confirmed Dembele sustained a hamstring injury and will undergo tests on Sunday but it seems unlikely the Frenchman will be fit to face Liverpool in the semi-final second leg. Dembele missed almost four months with a hamstring strain last season and suffered from problems in the same area in January and March, sitting out for another month each time.
“We think it’s a muscle tear,” said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. “It is not from fatigue – he didn’t play much against Liverpool – and it is not the same leg as last time. It’s just one of those things.” Defeat will hardly trouble Barcelona, who wrapped up their 26th La Liga title last weekend, but victory comes as a major boost for Celta, who move five points clear of the bottom three with two games left to play. Maxi Gomez’s smart finish gave them the lead before Iago Aspas made it two with a late penalty.
Highlights
Liverpool had to take the lead three times for the first time this season to keep alive their title hopes, moving two points ahead of Manchester City having played a match more.
Virgil van Dijk put the Reds ahead with a free header from a corner but Christian Atsu quickly fired in an equaliser for Newcastle.
Mohamed Salah restored the visitors’ lead from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross, but Salomon Rondon levelled with a left-foot volley.
Salah was taken off after a collision with Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, to be replaced by Origi, who got his head to Xherdan Shaqiri’s free-kick late on to snatch victory.
It means Man City need to beat Leicester City on Monday to go back top of the table.
Newcastle stay in 14th place on 42 points.
