Mohamed Salah. Photo: photosport
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has scored twice in a 2-0 win at Bournemouth that put them nine points clear atop the Premier League while Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood went one better with a hat-trick in a 7-0 rout of Brighton.
Newcastle United missed the chance to move fourth though as they surrendered the lead in a 2-1 home defeat by Fulham.
Bottom club Southampton enjoyed some rare joy as they beat Ipswich Town 2-1 away for only their second league win of what has been a thoroughly gloomy campaign.
Liverpool under Arne Slot has quickly acquired the habit of winning even when not completely at their fluent best and in Salah they have a weapon of lethal efficiency.
The Egyptian converted a penalty on the half-hour and then curled home his second goal in the 75th minute to secure the points and end Bournemouth's 11-match unbeaten league run.
Salah now has 21 Premier League goals this season and 178 in his career, taking him sixth on the all-time list ahead of Chelsea great Frank Lampard.
Liverpool have 56 points from 23 games with Arsenal, who host fourth-placed Manchester City on Sunday, and Forest level on 47 points, though the Midlands side have played a game more.
"It's a great result that we have here away from home," Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk said.
"We showed great desire, mentality and great quality to finish the situations that we created.
"Bournemouth are really intense. If you look to the data, they are top of the table for running, intensity - the way they play, they're aggressive."
Forest's 5-0 loss to Bournemouth last weekend had some people suggesting their bubble may have burst. But Nuno Espirito Santo's team put that notion to bed in devastating fashion.
All Whites captain Wood's hat-trick and goals from Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams and Jota Silva plus an own goal helped Forest consolidate third spot as they chase what would be their first Champions League qualification in 45 years.
Fulham recover
Fulham substitute Rodrigo Muniz struck in the 82nd minute to secure a 2-1 win at Newcastle who had taken the lead when Jacob Murphy slammed home a shot after good work by Anthony Gordon.
Fulham levelled after the break when Murphy deflected in a shot by Raul Jimenez. In-form Newcastle striker Alexander Isak struck the crossbar before Muniz stole it for Fulham.
Fulham's Nigerian midfielder #22 Alex Iwobi (L) celebrates scoring the team's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on February 24, 2024. Photo: DARREN STAPLES
Ipswich must have felt a home game against hapless Southampton would be the ideal opportunity to escape the relegation zone but they fluffed their lines.
Saints struck first as Joe Aribo's shot squirmed through goalkeeper Arijanet Muric and into the net but Ipswich levelled through top scorer Liam Delap on the half-hour.
Paul Onuachu struck late on though to give Southampton a glimmer of hope in what looks like a forlorn escape act.
They stay bottom with nine points, seven behind second-bottom Ipswich.
Leicester's joy at last week's win away to Tottenham Hotspur was short-lived as they were thumped 4-0 at Everton whose form under returning boss David Moyes goes from strength to strength with a third successive victory.
Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the fastest goal of the Premier League season, latching onto a long ball from keeper Jordan Pickford to score in 10.18 seconds.
Beto netted twice before halftime and Iliman Ndiaye added a fourth in the 90th minute as Everton moved up to 15th with 26 points.
Leicester remain 17th, one point above the drop zone.
- Reuters
