Late Richarlison strike earns Spurs point at Liverpool, United beat Villa
Liverpool missed the chance to return to the Premier League’s top four as Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison struck a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Anfield on Sunday.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s 18th-minute free kick had looked like securing the points for Liverpool but the hosts were unconvincing and could have no complaints as Tottenham ended a five-match losing streak in the league.
Former Everton striker Richarlison was a constant threat for the visitors and fired a low shot past Alisson in the 90th minute to secure a vital point in his side’s relegation battle.
Liverpool, who were booed at the end, moved above Chelsea into fifth place with 49 points from 30 games while Tottenham’s first point in six Premier League games left them 16th with 30, one point above the relegation zone.
“It’s a huge disappointment,” Szoboszlai said. “Again in the last minute, I don’t know how many times it’s happened this season, we have to wake up.”
Tottenham are now 12 league games without a win, their worst run since 1935, but the visiting fans were celebrating at the end after a gutsy display that offered some hope that they can avoid a first relegation since 1977.
Interim manager Igor Tudor still has no victories in five games since taking over from Thomas Frank, but his side were unrecognisable from recent chaotic displays, albeit helped by a lacklustre Liverpool who conceded yet another late goal to drop more points in their quest for Champions League qualification.
‘WE DESERVE A POINT’
“It was good. Proud of the guys. They stayed in the game, and we deserve a point,” Tudor told Sky Sports.
“The team spirit was amazing. This was the main demand. The quality is there. Every point is crucial, we are just going game by game. We hope today is a turning point.”
Man United tighten hold on third with win over Villa
- Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha buried a second‑half strike off a pinpoint through ball from Bruno Fernandes for a club-record 16th Premier League assist in a season to lift the hosts to a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Casemiro and substitute Benjamin Sesko scored United’s other goals in a result that tightened United’s grip on third place in the standings on 54 points after 30 games, while fourth-placed Villa have 51 points.
United, who were playing their first game in 11 days, were keen for a victory after interim boss Michael Carrick’s seven-game unbeaten run ended in a 2-1 loss to 10-man Newcastle United on March 4.
With 22 points from a possible 27 under Carrick’s leadership, Sunday’s win will invariably lead to more questions about his chances of becoming United’s permanent manager.
“It was a slightly different game today going into it being so close in the league and making the small jump we could if we won, off the back of a defeat,” Carrick said. “It was a small test and we haven’t really had that.
“The boys dealt with it really well, had a really good week and applied themselves well. Everything is so so encouraging. We’ve got a lot to play for.”