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Home , Declan Rice, Grady Diangana, Michail Antonio

Friday 39 Sports Friday, July 24, 2020 Klopp delighted by trophy lift after Reds hit Chelsea for five Fans promised of a proper party and parade planned through the city

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp clinched the title. And the German again promised said having the opportunity to lift the Premier the fans a proper party with a parade planned League trophy at Anfield meant the world to him through the city once restrictions are lifted. despite having to do so in an empty stadium with “You have to prepare for a party,” he added. fans shut out due to coronavirus. “When I don’t know, when this virus is gone then The Reds sealed a first top-flight title for 30 we will have a party all together.” The result had years last month, but had to wait until after a far bigger consequences for Chelsea as they slip thrilling 5-3 win over Chelsea in their final home to fourth and leaves ’s men still game of the season to lift the tro- needing a point at home to Wolves at Stamford phy for the first time. “You make the best of what Bridge on Sunday to secure a place in the Cham- you can,” Klopp told Sky Sports. “Today our fam- pions League. ilies are allowed to be there which is incredible. It means the world to me. “Everything would be bet- ‘IN OUR HANDS’ ter with fans but for months we knew that would “It’s huge, we know the situation,” said Lam- be impossible. A few months ago I thought it was pard. “It’s in our hands to get a result against a very impossible that we play football. good Wolves team.” Chelsea have already bol- “I couldn’t be happier to be honest, it would be stered their attacking options for next season with perfect if the stadium would be full but we cannot the signings of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, change it. What we tried to do is make it clear to while they are reportedly closing in on a deal for LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s English midfielder (C) lifts the Premier League trophy during the the people that we really do it for them. It’s an ab- the 90-million euro ($103 million, £81 million) rated presentation following the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield solutely great moment.” Kai Havertz of Bayer Leverkusen. in Liverpool, north west England on July 22, 2020. —AFP Despite pleas for fans to stay away on the night But it is at the other end Lampard clearly has to Liverpool finally got their hands on the trophy, sup- find solutions as they completed an entire league Roberto Firmino scored his first league goal at An- The American skipped past four challenges be- porters crowded around the stadium even prior to season with just one clean sheet away from home field all season restored Liverpool’s three-goal fore squaring for Abraham and then fired power- kick-off, while the second half was accompanied and have now conceded 54 times in the Premier cushion to cancel out Olivier Giroud’s strike just fully into the roof of the net with the Liverpool by the constant crackling of fireworks lit by fans League this season. before half-time for the visitors. defence all over the place. But Chelsea were un- outside the ground. Liverpool were 3-0 up inside 43 minutes as Christian Pulisic was surprisingly left on the done again at the other end as a blistering break On the field, Klopp’s men ensured a memorable sweet strikes from Naby Keita, Trent Alexander- bench by Lampard from the start and he changed from inside their own box saw Liverpool surge for- night was accompanied by a positive result after Arnold and Georginio Wijnaldum gave Chelsea a the came after he was introduced alongside Tammy ward and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain smashed home just two wins in five previous games since they mountain to climb. They nearly did so even after Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Andy Robertson’s cross at the back post. —AFP

costly mistakes from David De Gea after the United keeper retained his place. Solskjaer urges Man Utd The Spaniard made two embarrassing errors that led to goals in United’s 3-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat against Chelsea on Sunday. West Ham’s point ensured they are mathematically certain to avoid relegation. West Brom promoted to seize ‘opportunity’ in After their sluggish loss at Wembley ended a 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions, Solskjaer’s men made a more enterprising start this time and West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski was tested twice inside the to Premier League Champions League push first four minutes. Anthony Martial’s stinging strike from just inside the penalty area forced LONDON: Slaven Bilic hailed West Bromwich Albion’s promotion MANCHESTER: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urged his Manchester United stars to seize a “fantastic opportunity” to qualify for the Champions League after an excellent save from Fabianski, who then plunged to his right to keep out to the Premier League as one of the proudest moments of his ca- Greenwood’s effort. Rashford tried his luck from 30 yards, but the forward’s reer after a 2-2 draw against QPR sent them up on a dramatic final Mason Greenwood rescued a 1-1 draw against West Ham on Wednesday. Solskjaer’s side fell behind to ’s penalty in the first half at powerful drive was too close to Fabianski, while Greenwood’s close-range day of the Championship season. shot was blocked by Ogbonna. Bilic’s side will join Championship title winners Leeds in the top- . But teenage forward Greenwood struck after the interval to lift United into third place in the Premier League. De Gea had been a spectator for the first 40 minutes and when he was flight next season after a nail-biting Wednesday night at the finally called into action, Antonio’s header lacked the power to trouble him. Hawthorns. They are ahead of fourth placed Chelsea on goal difference after the Blues lost 5-3 at champions Liverpool. United will finish in the top four if they draw But De Gea still had to pick the ball out of the net moments before half- With third-placed Brentford beaten 2-1 by Barnsley and fourth- time after Paul Pogba handed West Ham a penalty. ’s free-kick placed Fulham held to a 1-1 draw at Wigan, Albion finished in sec- or win in their decisive showdown with fifth placed Leicester on Sunday. United are one point ahead of Leicester going into their last game of the sea- was smashed straight at Pogba, who instinctively stuck up his arms to pro- ond place to secure their return to the Premier League after two tect his face. seasons away. son at the King Power Stadium. Despite Pogba dropping to the turf as though he had been hit in the head, “You don’t know how exhausting it was this season. You can’t “When we started after the lockdown, we had to go for it. We had to go VAR confirmed the France midfielder’s handball. Antonio took the spot-kick, imagine how proud and happy I am,” former Croatia and West Ham for goal difference, we had to go for points,” Solskjaer said. “The effort has sending De Gea the wrong way for his sixth goal in his last three games. boss Bilic said. been fantastic and the results have been fantastic. “Going into half-time we United had let the first half drift out of their control, but Greenwood “I managed my country for six years and I said no matter which knew that wasn’t the result we wanted. But you can’t expect to turn teams dragged them level with another demonstration of his remarkable maturity club I manage nothing will compare. I feel as proud as I felt then.” over like we needed to have a different scenario for Sunday. On a riveting finale in the second tier, 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan “We’ve given ourselves a fantastic opportunity and a great starting in the 51st minute. Dropping deep to exchange passes with Martial, the 18- were relegated to League One along with Hull and Charlton. point for Sunday.” Solskjaer’s team were well below their best against West year-old kept his composure to drill a clinical finish past Fabianski from 12 But the focus was on West Brom, who fell behind against QPR Ham, but they are now unbeaten in 13 league matches and will complete yards. when netted after 34 minutes. an impressive surge into the Champions League if they emerge unscathed No teenager has ever scored more goals in a single season in all compe- equalised just before half-time when he fired in after Callum Robin- at Leicester. titions for United than Greenwood, whose 17th of the season moved him level son set him free. —AFP They can also qualify for Europe’s elite club competition if they win the with George Best, Brian Kidd and Wayne Rooney. “He’s bailed us out a few Europa League in August. Solskjaer will have been relieved there were no times and he’s done it again,” Solskjaer said. —AFP