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Showing posts from April, 2024

FT:Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid

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Full time! It ends 2-2 at Allianz Arena. A thrilling first leg, let’s hope for an even better return game next Wednesday in Madrid! 10 MINUTES AGO Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | 90+1 mins Lucas Vazquez has had a tough night. That’s a booking for hauling down Lucas Vazquez. Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | 90 mins Three added minutes. Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | 88 mins Another big call from Madrid for a penalty but Noussair Mazraoui got the ball in lunging in on Brahim Diaz. 16 MINUTES AGO Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | 87 mins Changes for both sides. Real bring Joselu on for Rodrygo and Leroy Sane departs for Alphonso Davies. Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | 85 mins Who will risk it the most to grab a late winner, then? Both teams have, to some extent, been masters of their own downfall so far. Serge Gnabry into the box and he flies a shot over. 20 MINUTES AGO GGGGGOOOOOAAAALLL!!!! Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | Vinicius Jr, 83' It’s been ...

GGGGGOOOOOAAAALLL!!!! Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | Vinicius Jr, 83'

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GGGGGOOOOOAAAALLL!!!! Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid | Vinicius Jr, 83' It’s been a sloppy display for much of the night for Kim Min-jae, who gets booked for hauling down his man. No doubts about that being a penalty. Vinicius Jr lines the spot-kick up... HE SCORES! 3 MINUTES AGO Penalty to Real Madrid! Kim Min-jae takes down Rodrygo and Real have a HUGE chance! 5 MINUTES AGO Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid | 80 mins Change from Bayern as Serge Gnabry replaces Thomas Muller. Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid | 76 mins Jude Bellingham and Toni Kroos are taken off! Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz on. It’s fair to say Bellingham has had a quiet night. Harry Kane very much winning the battle of the England stars. Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid | 75 mins Toni Kroos with a free-kick chance to put the ball into the box as Carlo Ancelotti readies more substitutes. Nice and easy header out for Bayern.

GGGGOOOOAAAALLLL!!! Bayern Munich 0-1 Real Madrid | Vinicius Jr, 24'

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GGGGOOOOAAAALLLL!!! Bayern Munich 0-1 Real Madrid | Vinicius Jr, 24' No shots yet for Real but they’re creeping back towards parity in the possession column with some longer spells on the ball. Then comes the forward ball and Vinicius Jr is through... HE SCORES! 5 MINUTES AGO Bayern Munich 0-0 Real Madrid | 21 mins A first Madrid corner, won by Lucas Vazquez, and former Bayern man Toni Kroos is jeered as he swings it in. Short to Vinicius Jr, he skips past his man before pinging a poor cross into the stands. 7 MINUTES AGO Bayern Munich 0-0 Real Madrid | 18 mins Nice work by Jamal Musiala to drop deep and win possession, before riding two challenges to carry the ball clear. That ends a rare foray into the Bayern half for Los Blancos and Lucas Vazquez is lucky to avoid giving a foul away for upending Noussair Mazraoui.

Bayern Munich 0-0 Real Madrid

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Bayern Munich 0-0 Real Madrid | 2 mins Madrid lining up in a bit of a 4-4-2 off the ball with Rodrygo wide left. Bayern break through pretty quickly though and Leroy Sane shoots at goal... saved low by Andriy Lunin! 4 MINUTES AGO Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid | Kick-off! Some whistles for the UEFA Champions LEague anthem, a tune which Vinicius Jr greets with a knowing nod as the teams line up. Harry Kane at the end of the Bayern line for his second such semi-final. The first one was a bit of a cracker. A warm embrace between Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel on the touchline and we get underway with Bayern in white and red, Madrid in black and gold. 8 MINUTES AGO Here come the teams! Before kick-off, the family of Bayern icon Franz Beckenbauer, son Joel and wife Heidi, come on the pitch for a presentation. A huge tifo is unveiled of Der Kaiser too as the players walk out the tunnel.

Why Benjamin Sesko ticks all Arsenal's transfer window boxes after new summer striker hint

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Why Benjamin Sesko ticks all Arsenal's transfer window boxes after new summer striker hint Arsenal have been linked with a move for Benjamin Sesko, who is ticking all the right boxes for the club ahead of the summer transfer window, with big decisions to be made Arsenal are on the lookout for a younger profile of centre-forward in the summer, football.london understands. The club has moved away from the likes of Ivan Toney as it now sees a vision for the position extending into the future. A combination of factors have led to this point including the success of Kai Havertz, who currently leads the way in the league for non-penalty goal contributions in 2024. Furthermore, looking across the potential striker options this summer, there is not a gluttony of options to choose from. This is the reason behind the shift to a younger profile, with the aim that a player with high potential could indeed become the guaranteed option. Newcastle decided to pounce on Alexander Isak, for ex...

Liverpool season unraveled in six weeks but reality of Jürgen Klopp farewell is clear

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Liverpool season unraveled in six weeks but reality of Jürgen Klopp farewell is clear Liverpool's 2-2 Premier League draw with West Ham has ended its title hopes. It's been a six-week spell that has ruined the perfect Jürgen Klopp fairytale send-off. Lifting the league cup at Wembley felt like the beginning of a fairy tale for Liverpool, but it turned out to be an ending. Hopes of finishing Jürgen Klopp's historic tenure at Anfield with a Premier League title vanished on Saturday afternoon, as West Ham came back to draw 2-2 to make the Reds drop points for the second time in a matter of days. It ends a six-week spell in which Liverpool's distant hopes of winning a quadruple were thinned with each passing game, confirming early fears that the squad had lost momentum. Here's what took place in the last six weeks and ensured Klopp's farewell will not be as triumphant as hoped. Knocked out of the FA Cup (March 17) Liverpool looked in cruise control against Man...

Liverpool star Andy Robertson issues Arne Slot refusal because of Jürgen Klopp

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Liverpool star Andy Robertson issues Arne Slot refusal because of Jürgen Klopp Liverpool defender Andy Robertson was relatively tight-lipped over Arne Slot. The Dutchman is poised to replace Jürgen Klopp as manager from next season. Jürgen Klopp has improved almost every player he has encountered at Liverpool. The club has recruited excellently, but the model has been made possible by the presence of such a superb coach. Perhaps nobody has progressed like Andy Robertson. Signed cheaply from relegated Hull City, he did not even make the team for the first few months, only getting his initial opportunity because of an injury to Alberto Moreno. Almost seven years later, Robertson holds the record for the most Premier League assists by a defender, an honor he has traded back and forth with Trent Alexander-Arnold. He has been a key cog in a Liverpool side that has won it all. The Scot will no doubt back himself to remain a key presence under a new manager, with Arne ...

Liverpool has already been told two stars to sign who Arne Slot worked wonders with at Feyenoord

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Liverpool has already been told two stars to sign who Arne Slot worked wonders with at Feyenoord Arne Slot is a leading candidate to take over from Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. Former Reds forward Dirk Kuyt knows him well and has previously named two stars to sign.  Liverpool will have a new manager in the summer and Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot has emerged as the new frontrunner to take over from Jürgen Klopp. The 45-year-old Dutchman has an impressive record in the Netherlands and he is ready for the next step. The Reds have previous links to Feyenoord having signed Dirk Kuyt from the Eredivisie side in 2006. Kuyt played 208 times for Liverpool, scoring 51 goals, and he has now moved into coaching including having a stint with Feyenoord. Last year, Kuyt suggested that Liverpool should be taking a look at a couple of Feyenoord players. He was also quick to praise Slot's work, long before anyone knew that Klopp was leaving and the former AZ Alkmaar boss could be an option to re...

What Liverpool squad can expect from Arne Slot - training, man management and fines system

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What Liverpool squad can expect from Arne Slot - training, man management and fines system Liverpool is closing in on the appointment of Arne Slot as its next manager. The Dutchman will arrive with a clear style of play that gets his managers on side.  After nine incredible years, the Jürgen Klopp era at Liverpool is almost over. The German now has just three matches left in charge and while this season won't end as many had dreamed, his farewell is set to be an emotional one next month. Klopp managed to revitalize Liverpool with his 'heavy metal football' which got his players on side straightaway. The touchline bust-up with Mohamed Salah at West Ham was an isolated incident, with Klopp adored by those he has coached and improved along the way. The focus is now shifting towards the future at Anfield with Klopp's replacement close to being finalized. A host of managers have been linked with the Liverpool job but it is Arne Slot who will take up the mantle next seaso...

Liverpool should unleash talented trio as Jürgen Klopp left with nothing to lose

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Liverpool should unleash talented trio as Jürgen Klopp left with nothing to lose Liverpool's season is in danger of petering out with its title challenge as good as over. Jürgen Klopp should turn to youth for the final matches of the campaign.  As Liverpool drew 2-2 against West Ham on Saturday, four players were brought on in the final 11 minutes. Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez, Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai all entered the game and failed to make an impact as the three-horse title race galloped to a halt. All four players looked tired and fed up; the season is mentally over for a lot of Liverpool’s first-team players whose quadruple hopes diminished long ago. Substitutes are not Jürgen Klopp’s strong suit as of late. Despite them having a major impact earlier in the campaign, you have to go back to the start of the month to see the last time a man from the bench who altered the scoreline. This was Cody Gakpo’s headed effort against Sheffield United. Obviously, you cannot judg...

Liverpool transfer news as $48m summer target 'revisited' and Xabi Alonso raid still on

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Liverpool transfer news as $48m summer target 'revisited' and Xabi Alonso raid still on Liverpool transfer news as two familiar names are linked. Despite Xabi Alonso staying put, his players continue to be mentioned in connection with Anfield moves. Liverpool has got a whole new recruitment structure in place ahead of the summer transfer window. Arne Slot is expected to arrive as head coach, rather than manager, with the backroom staff taking the lead on identifying talent following the departure of the hugely influential Jürgen Klopp. There's Michael Edwards, who has returned to FSG as CEO of football. He's appointed Richard Hughes to be the new sporting director, who replaces Jörg Schmadtke, in a position that has been unsettled since Edwards himself vacated it. The result of all this change, according to the gossip columns? Links with many of the same players who Liverpool apparently targeted last summer. Of course, Liverpool never abandoned the data-driven appr...

Jurgen Klopp makes Arsenal title prediction after Liverpool lose more ground

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I’m not angry’ - Jurgen Klopp makes Arsenal title prediction after Liverpool lose more ground Arsenal sit two points ahead of Liverpool having played a game fewer with Jurgen Klopp not optimistic about his side being able to catch the Gunners. Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool’s draw with West Ham on Saturday gives Arsenal and Manchester City an unassailable Premier League title race advantage. The Reds sit two points behind table-toppers Arsenal having played a game more, after winning just one of their last four league outings. The Gunners could open up a five-point gap over Liverpool with a win over Tottenham in Sunday’s crunch North London Derby. Meanwhile, Man City have played two games fewer than Liverpool and remain a point ahead of them, while Arsenal stay above the Blues by a point having played a match more. With three fixtures of his Liverpool career remaining, Klopp says his team’s title chase is all but over. Speaking after the 2-2 draw with West Ham at the London S...

Two fixtures will cost Arsenal the Premier League title race according to Manchester United legend

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Two fixtures will cost Arsenal the Premier League title race according to Manchester United legend Arsenal are still in control of the Premier League title race, but Rio Ferdinand has predicted the Gunners will fall short Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has pinpointed the two fixtures that he believes will cost Arsenal the Premier League title, both against fierce rivals. Currently, with seven league games remaining, it's the Gunners who have their destiny in their own hands. They lead Liverpool on goal difference and can leapfrog champions Manchester City with a win over Aston Villa on Sunday. Despite Mikel Arteta's men being in pole position at present, Ferdinand predicts that Arsenal will suffer two more defeats before the season concludes, which could potentially derail their title aspirations. At this stage of the competition, any loss of points could be detrimental to their title hopes. While forecasting the rest of Arsenal's season for TNT Sport, Ferdinan...

What Ben White did to Vicario before Arsenal first goal vs Tottenham in North London Derby

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What Ben White did to Vicario before Arsenal first goal vs Tottenham in North London Derby Arsenal gained a dominant advantage over Tottenham at half-time thanks to three goals in 20 minutes during the North London Derby Arsenal defender Ben White may have got in the head of Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario before their opening goal in the North London Derby. The Gunners took the lead on 15 minutes when a whipped delivery from the right-hand side was directed into his own net by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Vicario struggled to take control of his area as the corner came into the area and eagle-eyed fans have spotted why this might be. As the 'keeper was waiting for the cross to come into the penalty area he was distracted by White who appeared to be messing with Vicario's gloves. The defender unsuccessfully attempted to loosen the strapping but this distraction could have been costly for Tottenham considering the shot-stopper's mind w...

Arsenal player ratings vs Tottenham as Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka star in nervy derby win

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Arsenal player ratings vs Tottenham as Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka star in nervy derby win How the Gunners got on in their Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the North London Derby David Raya:  An absolute howler to let Spurs back into a game they were totally out of. What was he thinking? Decent aside from that, but an uncharacteristic brain fart from the usually consistent Spaniard.  5. Ben White:  His consistency is almost becoming too consistent to write about. We start these ratings at a base of six but it may as well be a seven for White. Understatedly impressive yet again.  7. Gabriel:  Good in the parts of the first half where Arsenal had to sit deep and defend. Decent on the ball in the second when they got forward more. Showed how complete he is as a centre half.  7. William Saliba:  Didn't help Raya with the bouncy ball back, but can hardly be blamed for the subsequent mistake. Decent aside f...

FT:Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal

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FULL-TIME! Spurs swing it in and it’s cleared before the recycled ball in is dealt with too... Heung-min Son crosses in, it’s too deep - and that’s the whistle! Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal | 90+6 mins Heung-min Son’s dangerous cross is cleared and Arsenal counter... but Micky van de Ven is back to clear again. Tottenham up the other end and win a corner. Here comes the goalkeeper! Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal | 90+5 mins Free-kick flicked away for a corner and Arsenal deal with that too, amid a bit of a scramble and a faint penalty appeal by the home fans. Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal | 90+4 mins Arsenal are officially heading to the corner flag but Kai Havertz can’t hold it there for long. Spurs break into space and Richarlison is felled by William Saliba. Free-kick chance for Spurs... Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal | 90+2 mins David Raya rises highest to claim a Pedro Porro cross. A big test of Arsenal’s game management here (and their skills in the dark arts). ...

GGGGGOOOOAALLL!!! Tottenham 0-3 Arsenal | Havertz, 38'

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Tottenham 0-3 Arsenal | 43 mins Just watching the Arsenal away end, no one is standing still! There’s so much adrenaline still pumping through their fans and they’re reacting to every tackle in between chants and, to be honest, goal celebrations. Spurs fans, by contrast, stone-silent and frozen like stunned statues. 3 MINUTES AGO Tottenham 0-3 Arsenal | 42 mins It’s all just about summed up for Spurs as a pass is played just behind James Maddison, who slips and stretches to play the ball straight to an Arsenal shirt. 4 MINUTES AGO Tottenham 0-3 Arsenal | 40 mins This is doing Arsenal’s goal-difference lead over Man City the world of good. Arsenal reporter Simon Collings: A near carbon-copy of Arsenal's first goal, except this time Havertz heads it home. Arsenal clearly targeting Spurs' defending from the near-post on set-pieces. GGGGGOOOOAALLL!!! Tottenham 0-3 Arsenal | Havertz, 38' THIS IS TURNING INTO A ROUT! Another corner, another header, another g...

GGGOOOAAALLL!!! Tottenham 0-2 Arsenal | Saka, 27'

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Tottenham 0-2 Arsenal | 31 mins Timo Werner is having to come off. Brennan Johnson called from the bench with the German suffering from what looks like a hamstring issue. Martin Odegaard, meanwhile, is fine after clash of heads. 3 MINUTES AGO GGGOOOAAALLL!!! Tottenham 0-2 Arsenal | Saka, 27' BUKAYO SAKA ON THE COUNTER! Tottenham want a penalty up the other end before Arsenal break and Saka rolls home his shot! 4 MINUTES AGO Watch Tottenham goal ruled out by VAR Tough but fair. 6 MINUTES AGO Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal | 26 mins Let’s see how Tottenham bounce back from that, it’s a hard blow to take after what had looked like a deserved equaliser. Arsenal reporter Simon Collings: Relief for Arsenal there. Spurs have been the better team since going behind. 8 MINUTES AGO GOAL DISALLOWED! Pedro Porro’s shot from range is turned in by Micky van de Ven and the Dutchman looks offside on replay... VAR confirms it. Arsenal keep their lead. 8 MINUTES AGO GGGOOOAAALLL...

GGGOOOOAAALLLL!!!! Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal | Hojbjerg OG, 15'

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Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal | 17 mins Spurs may well feel that goal was against the run of play. Arsenal reporter Simon Collings: Arsenal just trying to slow down the game after the goal. The whole side stayed in a huddle by Spurs' corner flag for a minute or so. Tottenham reporter Dan Kilpatrick: There's obviously a huge element of misfortune about Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's own goal but the bigger picture is that Spurs have a problem defending corners, whereas set pieces are one of Arsenal's strengths. 1 MINUTE AGO GGGOOOOAAALLLL!!!! Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal | Hojbjerg OG, 15' THE GUNNERS LEAD! A corner from Arsenal’s right sees Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg head past his own goalkeeper. Advantage to the Gunners as another set-piece comes off! Ben White’s run to the near post caused all kinds of problems. 3 MINUTES AGO Tottenham 0-0 Arsenal | 14 mins Arsenal have the ball in the net yet Martin Odegaard is offside for his dart in behind. Kai Havertz eventually score...

Tottenham vs Arsenal | Kick-off!

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Tottenham vs Arsenal | Kick-off! Both teams in their home kits this afternoon and after huddles for both teams it’s Spurs to get the ball rolling. Time for the north London derby! Arsenal reporter Simon Collings: What an atmosphere here. Genuinely not a better stadium around than this one. Tottenham 0-0 Arsenal | 2 mins Some off the ball furore in front of the home fans as Takehiro Tomiyasu bundles Dejan Kulusevski after the Swede offloads a pass. Big-game atmosphere ratcheted up to the max for the home  3 MINUTES AGO Tottenham 0-0 Arsenal | 4 mins Martin Odegaard the first Arsenal player to breach the Tottenham box but there’s little support for the club captain, who eventually sees a pass cut out.

What happened between Mohamed Salah and Jürgen Klopp before Liverpool substitution?

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What happened between Mohamed Salah and Jürgen Klopp before Liverpool substitution? Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was involved in a heated exchange with Jürgen Klopp on the sidelines. It came after he was left out of the starting XI. Jürgen Klopp made a big call for the game against West Ham United, leaving Mohamed Salah out of the starting XI for the second time in three games. While the team performance from midweek was improved, the Reds once again failed to win, leaving London with a 2-2 draw. And frustrations were running high even when Liverpool had the lead. It looked like Klopp's side might salvage the last vestiges of their title hopes, having come back from a goal down to lead 2-1, but that's when the manager and Salah were involved in an altercation on the sidelines. Klopp was initially intending to use his substitutes to see out the result for the final 15 minutes or so. As it happened, West Ham had equalized before he could make the changes, but the disagreem...

New Mohamed Salah vs Jürgen Klopp footage appears to show what started argument

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New Mohamed Salah vs Jürgen Klopp footage appears to show what started argument Mohamed Salah only exacerbated a torrid day for Liverpool by rowing with Jürgen Klopp before coming on. New footage sheds some more light on the flashpoint. In truth, it would be strange if tempers were not frayed around the Liverpool camp right now. Jürgen Klopp will not get the send-off he so richly deserves, while a season that promised so much for the players too will now end with only a Carabao Cup. In time, perspective will kick in. At least Klopp was able to win that trophy in his farewell year, and anyone at Wembley can tell you how special it was. Even away from the narrative about the manager, Trent Alexander-Arnold has said before that he feels there should be a one-trophy-per-season minimum, a standard Liverpool has met despite having struggled so badly in the last campaign. But in the moment, with the title having now slipped away, joining the Europa League and the FA Cup on the pile of wha...

Mohamed Salah transfer message sent to Arne Slot after Jürgen Klopp argument in Liverpool game

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Mohamed Salah transfer message sent to Arne Slot after Jürgen Klopp argument in Liverpool game Liverpool has been sent a Mohamed Salah transfer message by Ally McCoist after the Reds forward appeared to disagree with Jürgen Klopp during the 2-2 draw vs West Ham. Incoming Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been warned Mohamed Salah might leave the club this summer. Salah stole the headlines for all the wrong reasons after a touchline argument with Jürgen Klopp before he came on as a substitute against West Ham. Klopp refused to be drawn on what he and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah had a heated exchange about on the touchline as the Reds drew 2-2 with West Ham United in the Premier League. Salah then didn't want to stop and cause 'fire' in the post-match mixed zone, declining the chance to explain what had happened. But the TNT Sport pundits had their say post-match with the story set to rumble on. And Ally McCoist declared he believes Salah will leave in the summer trans...

FT: West Ham 2-2 Liverpool

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FT: West Ham 2-2 Liverpool Free-kick West Ham, Antonio chests it down and his effort is blocked, flying behind for a corner. No time to take it - there’s the full-time whistle. Liverpool’s title hopes are over. They are stumbling to the finish line. 6 MINUTES AGO West Ham 2-2 Liverpool 90+3 mins:  All very messy at the moment - neither side able to really build late pressure. Zouma takes no chances as Salah closes him down, slices the ball out of play. 8 MINUTES AGO West Ham 2-2 Liverpool 90 mins:  Five minutes added on. Liverpool pushing for a winner - they look the more likely. West Ham 2-2 Liverpool 89 mins:  Antonio works hard and wins a corner for the hosts. Ward-Prowse to take. Whipped in right on top of Alisson, he punches it clear and Liverpool can break. Salah can’t pick out Nunez, comes to Elliott though. Smacks an effort off the bar from 30 yards out! 12 MINUTES AGO Salah running hot... Fair to say Klopp and Salah aren’t best friends...

GOAL! West Ham 2-2 Liverpool | Michail Antonio 77'

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West Ham 2-2 Liverpool 79 mins:  A triple change from Klopp. Salah, Nunez and Gomez are on, with Diaz, Endo and Alexander-Arnold the three to make way. 3 MINUTES AGO GOAL! West Ham 2-2 Liverpool | Michail Antonio 77' Alisson makes a complete mess of a cross into the box, drops it under no pressure. Makes up for it though, strong save as Emerson lashes an effort in from the edge of the area. West Ham stay on the attack, ball into the middle... and Antonio heads past Alisson! 6 MINUTES AGO West Ham 1-2 Liverpool 75 mins:  Liverpool could have scored six since half-time, and it’s all coming down the left wing. Diaz plays in Robertson on the overlap, low strike is gathered by Areola. He’s keeping West Ham in this.