Premier League: 21 April 2019 Liverpool go top, Man Utd thrashed

EPL Results on 21 April Cardiff 0-2 Liverpool

Liverpool hit the top of the Premier League table again on Sunday thanks to a comfortable win at relegation-threatened Cardiff on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp's men made their dominance count in the second half to sneak back above title rivals Manchester City.

The Reds' lethal front three combined midway through the first half when Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane combined to set Roberto Firmino free, only for the Brazilian to miss the target when it was easier to score.

There was nothing doing before the break, though, as title rivals Manchester City began to contemplate another championship from the comfort of their sofas.

Gini Wijnaldum had other ideas, though.

The Dutch midfielder executed the perfect first-time finish at the near post from Trent Alexander-Arnold's low corner to break the deadlock on 57 minutes.

Jordan Henderson should have made it two, only to balloon Mane's chance-on-a-plate over the crossbar.

And how Sean Morrison failed to score at the other end after Alisson's flap left an open goal is anyone's guess.

He looked even dafter minutes later when he grappled with Salah in his own area, with the Egyptian dropping to the turf.

Substitute James Milner thwacked home the penalty to seal another crucial three points in the championship chase.

Arsenal 2-3 Crystal Palace

Arsenal were left cursing defensive mistakes as they were shocked by London rivals Crystal Palace at the Emirates in the Premier League on Sunday.

Unai Emery's side lost by the odd goal in five to miss their opportunity to go above arch-rivals Tottenham in the EPL table.

Christian Benteke scored his first goal in a year when the Gunners failed to pick him up in the box before he thumped a header past Bernd Leno in the 17th minute.

The hosts were denied a penalty when a cross into the box struck the rogue hands of Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

They had their equalizer straight after half time, however, when mercurial Mesut Ozil squeaked in his finish from a tight angle.

But Palace retook the lead when Shkodran Mustafi's bizarre decision to let the ball run for Leno was punished by Wilfried Zaha's pivot and prod.

And James McArthur made it three in the 68th minute with another free header.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang produced a solo effort to reduce the arrears with 15 minutes to play.

But that was as close as the Gunners got, as they stay fourth in the pile and see their ten-match winning home streak bite the dust.

Everton 4-0 Manchester United

Romelu Lukaku was beaten on his return to Everton with Manchester United in the Premier League. Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images. Manchester United's Champions League qualification hopes took a blow on Sunday as they were battered by Everton at Goodison Park.

A tricky tie on paper turned into a nightmare on Merseyside for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's top four hopefuls, who have now lost five successive away games in all competitions.

Richarlison had the first clear chance when he overpowered Fred before calling David de Gea into a low save from close range.

The Brazilian found his range soon after, hooking in at the back post after Lucas Digne's long throw was flicked on by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has always been the man for more ambitious finishes and he doubled the trouble for United on 28 minutes, drifting forward before being given all the time in the world by Nemanja Matic to lash in.

Digne further highlighted the United rabble when he wellied a first-time volley into the bottom left-hand corner after De Gea's punched clearance in the 56th minute.

The Toffees added a fourth when substitute Theo Walcott cruised in behind a beleaguered back line to slot in.

Home keeper Jordan Pickford wasn't even called into making a save until the 86th minute, with United staying sixth in the table and drifting out of contention for a top four place.

EPL: Latest standings Standings provided by Sofascore LiveScore

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/premier-league-results-fixtures-epl-la...
	See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines