SportsNews
Van Dijk’s Late Winner Edges Liverpool Towards Premier League Title
A record-equalling 20th English top-flight title could come as early as next Sunday if Liverpool win at Leicester and Arsenal lose away to Ipswich.
Virgil van Dijk spared Liverpool’s blushes with a late winner to beat West Ham 2-1 on Sunday and edge to within six points of the Premier League title.
Andy Robertson’s own goal four minutes from time had given the lowly Hammers a deserved equaliser after Luis Diaz put Liverpool in front early on.
Van Dijk, though, swiftly restored the lead to show Liverpool retain the mentality of champions, even if they are running out of steam in the closing stages of the season.
“That was a relief because to me it felt after West Ham scored and the way the second half went, it was maybe more that you could expect them scoring,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot.
“But our fans and our players thought differently because from the moment they scored the 1-1, we started playing again, we started pressing again. The fans were really loud at that moment of time.”
Liverpool’s lead stretches to 13 points with six games remaining.
A record-equalling 20th English top-flight title could come as early as next Sunday if Liverpool win at Leicester and Arsenal lose away to Ipswich.
The stage was set before kick-off for Mohamed Salah to be the hero as the Egyptian was given a huge ovation just days after ending speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract.
Salah started with the intention of making sure he was the focus of attention as young left-back Ollie Scarles struggled to cope with the Premier League’s top scorer.
The 32-year-old has failed to score in seven of his last eight Liverpool games as his sensational early season form has failed off.
But he still managed to set a new Premier League record by registering his 45th goal or assist of the campaign, the most ever in a 38-game season.
Salah outmuscled Scarles on the touchline and sprinted clear before an inch-perfect cross for Diaz allowed the Colombian to tap in for his 15th goal of the season on 18 minutes.
Defeat sees West Ham slip to 17th in the table, but they had a series of chances to take at least a point.
The fatigue that has seen Liverpool struggle in recent times was in evidence again as they had goalkeeper Alisson Becker to thank for moving another three points closer to the title.
Alisson brilliantly tipped Mohammed Kudus’ attempted chip onto the bar with the visitors first serious attack.
Jarrod Bowen had West Ham’s best chance to level when he failed to beat Alisson when one-on-one with the Brazilian before he turned away another powerful drive by Kudus.
When West Ham did finally find the net, it was thanks to two of Liverpool’s most experienced defenders.
Robertson and Van Dijk both went for the same ball and the Scotland captain diverted Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross into his own net.
The goal suddenly sparked Liverpool into life after a listless second half as Diaz’s deflected effort went over the bar.
Van Dijk took just three minutes to make amends for the equaliser as he powered in Alexis Mac Allister’s corner.
The Dutchman kissed the badge in celebration in a potential nod to him reportedly being close to following Salah in signing a new contract.
There was still more drama to come as Niclas Fullkrug hit the bar for West Ham in stoppage time.
But Liverpool held out to take another step towards the title in Slot’s first season in charge.
At least 25 players in the Premier League are set to travel for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
Nigeria, Ivory Coast, DR Congo lead the way in terms of players based in the English topflight, with four selected from each club for the AFCON.
FIFA has directed clubs to release the eligible players from Monday, December 15.
Full list of players confirmed
Sunderland (5):
Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo).
Manchester United (3):
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).
Fulham (3):
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria).
Burnley (3):
Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).
Nottingham Forest (2):
Ibrahim Sangaré (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast).
Brentford (2):
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria).
Manchester City (1):
Omar Marmoush (Egypt),
West Ham United (1):
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)
Wolves (2):
Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast).
Brighton & Hove Albion (1):
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon).
Crystal Palace (2):
Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal), Cheick Doucouré (Mali)
Liverpool (1):
Mohammed Salah (Egypt)
The Nigeria National League, NNL, has announced that matchday six fixture between Ranchers Bees and Adamawa United will be played behind closed doors.
The announcement was made in a statement by the league body.
Only the State Football Association representatives, staff of both teams, kit managers and medical personnel will be allowed into the stadium.
Others are the match officials, security personnel and camera men.
The reason for the decision to play the game without club supporters wasn’t stated by the league body.
The encounter will take place at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on Saturday (today).
Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have taken a fresh hit, with Egypt confirming that the highly anticipated friendly between both nations has been shifted from 14 to 16 December.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced the adjustment late Friday, noting that FIFA’s updated international release directive, which allows clubs keep African players until 15 December, made the original date unworkable.
EFA Vice President Khaled El-Darandaly explained that the new rule left both Egypt and Nigeria without full squads for the initial date.
Key Pharaohs players, including Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, are now expected to arrive only after the new release window.
Egypt had already named its 28-man provisional squad and opened camp in Cairo, with head coach Hossam Hassan accelerating final preparations for a Group B campaign that includes South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria’s disruption is more extensive. The Super Eagles were originally scheduled to open camp on 10 December and progress through a streamlined friendly schedule before departing for Morocco. That entire framework has now been dismantled.
Under the revised timeline, camp will open on 14 December, leaving Eric Chelle with barely a week to prepare before AFCON kicks off.
The venue for the friendly is also now uncertain, with Cairo no longer feasible and both federations considering shifting the match to Morocco.
Nigeria’s build-up has been further destabilised by injuries to Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Benjamin Fredrick and Felix Agu.
The shock retirement of captain William Troost-Ekong, winner of the 2023 AFCON Player of the Tournament award, creates an additional leadership vacuum in defence.
Chelle, who released a 55-man provisional list, must now trim his squad to 28 within a compressed window. Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania as they chase a fourth continental title.
The man who tackled a gunman to the floor and saved people from getting sh0t at Bondi Beach in Australia has been identified as Ahmed al Ahmed.
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