4 min readMar 2, 2023 07:55 AM IST
First published on: Mar 2, 2023 at 07:46 AM IST
Liverpool boosted its chances of getting back in the Champions League qualification places in the Premier League by beating Wolverhampton 2-0 thanks to second-half goals by Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah on Wednesday.
Liverpool climbed to sixth and is now six points behind fourth-place Tottenham, with a game in hand.
Van Dijk stooped to head in a cross from Diogo Jota from close range in the 73rd minute before Salah bundled the ball into the net after Kostas Tsimikas surged forward from left back to provide the center.
It was Salah’s 127th Premier League goal for Liverpool, one short of Robbie Fowler’s club-record tally in the competition.
Darwin Núñez, fit again after a shoulder injury, had a would-be goal disallowed for Liverpool, which was barely troubled by Wolves at Anfield in the fourth meeting of the teams in the space of two months. They also met in the third round of the FA Cup — an initial match and then a replay.
Wolverhampton remained three points above the relegation zone while Liverpool has won three of its last four league games amid a recovery from a slow start to the season.
Arsenal routs Everton 4-0, moves 5 points clear in EPL
Arsenal extended its lead in the Premier League to five points by beating Everton 4-0 on Wednesday, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring two of the goals in one of his team’s biggest wins of the season.
Everton stunned the leaders with a 1-0 win at home on Feb. 4 but couldn’t reproduce those exploits at Emirates Stadium, where Bukayo Saka put Arsenal in front with a rising shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle in the 40th minute.
The England winger turned provider in the first minute of first-half stoppage time by plucking the ball off the toes of Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye to play in Martinelli, who delivered a low finish.
Martin Odegaard converted a cut-back from Leandro Trossard in the 71st and Martinelli added a fourth in the 80th to complete a dominant performance from Mikel Arteta’s team, which has now played the same number of games — 25 from a total of 38 — as second-place Manchester City.
In terms of margin of victory, only the 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest in October bettered this result for Arsenal, which has won three straight games to get over a blip where the team collected just one point from a possible nine — including a loss to City.
Annecy stuns favorite Marseille to reach 1st French Cup semi
Second-tier Annecy produced a stunning upset to knock out French Cup favorite Marseille on penalty kicks and reach the semifinals for the first time on Wednesday.
After a dramatic 2-2 draw, during which Marseille equalized in the sixth and final minute of stoppage time, Annecy won the shootout 7-6 after Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi dragged his shot wide.
Marseille eliminated Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the tournament and took the lead through midfielder Jordan Veretout in the 29th minute of a dominant first half.
But Annecy, which has the second-smallest budget in the second division, equalized in the 53rd on striker Moïse Sahi’s goal and led six minutes later thanks to defender Kevin Mouanga’s header.
Late drama saw veteran Chile striker Alexis Sanchez miss a penalty in the 85th for Marseille before the home team equalized with the last kick of the game in the 96th minute, as 18-year-old Cameroon winger François-Régis Mughe’s looping cross from the right hit the back post and went in.
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli during their EPL matches and Marseille player reacts at the end of the French League One soccer match. (AP) 
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