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Premier League Wrap: Van Dijk at the double but Alisson sent off as Reds equal record; Chelsea lose again

Two goals from Virgil van Dijk enabled Premier League leaders Liverpool to beat Brighton but Alisson's red card made life difficult for Jurgen Klopp's side.

By Christopher Devine
Virgil van Dijk - cropped

London, Nov. 30: Runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool survived a nervy finish, following the 76th-minute dismissal of Alisson, to equal their longest unbeaten run in the top flight and capitalise on another Manchester City slip-up with a 2-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Premier League Results | Premier League Table

2-2 draw at Newcastle United2-2 draw at Newcastle United

Brighton were given an unexpected lifeline when Alisson was sent off for handling outside his box – meaning he will miss Wednesday's Merseyside derby - and Lewis Dunk caught out replacement goalkeeper Adrian with a quick free-kick.

The Seagulls could not find a late equaliser, though, and while Leicester City can cut Liverpool's advantage at the summit to eight points by beating Everton on Sunday, there looks to be no stopping a team who have now gone 31 league games unbeaten, matching their record streak from May 1987 to March 1988.

A Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick set up the opener for Van Dijk in the 18th minute and the same combination soon provided a second goal as Brighton were found wanting at a corner.

After a quiet start, Liverpool were looking rampant and Mat Ryan made a trio of fine stops as Sadio Mane laid on two chances for Roberto Firmino before being denied himself.

Dunk should have pulled a goal back eight minutes before the interval during Brighton's best spell, but the defender clumsily shinned the ball wide from Dan Burn's cross, having perhaps been put off by Yves Bissouma failing to get fully out of the way from a clearly offside position.

After heading wide from a corner early in the second half, Dunk made it third-time lucky by drilling home a free-kick with Adrian out of position, after Alisson had used his hands outside the area to deny substitute Leandro Trossard.

Liverpool were on edge thereafter and Adrian saved well from Aaron Mooy before almost spilling a tame Pascal Gross header into his own net as the hosts just about clung on.

What does it mean? Liverpool enjoy routine day … until Alisson’s red

Liverpool play nine games in December, including a much-publicised double-header that will see a youthful side face Aston Villa in the EFL Cup quarter-finals the day before the first XI play a Club World Cup semi-final.

In that context - and with key midfielder Fabinho out for the rest of the year - a straightforward day was just what Klopp would have wanted. For 75 minutes, he got just that, even if Alisson’s dismissal made the closing stages tougher than anyone would have anticipated.

Cresswell hits winner as Lampard's men lose again

Aaron Cresswell scored a goal any full-back would be proud of as West Ham ended their seven-game Premier League winless streak by beating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

The Hammers became only the second side to win at Chelsea in the league this season and Frank Lampard's side, who lost at Manchester City a week prior, could have few complaints about the result.

With Tammy Abraham sidelined and N'Golo Kante among the substitutes, Chelsea lacked a cutting edge in attack and guile in midfield as West Ham's Mark Noble and Declan Rice were given the run of the park.

Cresswell scored the winner early in the second half and West Ham could have extended their lead before surviving a late rally from the hosts to secure their first victory since they beat Manchester United on September 22 and provide a lift to under-fire manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Mason Mount drove Chelsea forward, surging through midfield with the ball at his feet, and he almost opened the scoring from the edge of the box but slipped as he struck a left-footed drive into the body of David Martin.

Christian Pulisic and Kurt Zouma both fired wide from close range but Chelsea's defensive frailties were in evidence when Robert Snodgrass was given time and space to whip in a cross that Michail Antonio headed into Kepa Arrizabalaga's hands with the goal at his mercy.

Olivier Giroud had the chance to open the scoring three minutes from half-time when Martin parried Mateo Kovacic's shot into his path but the France international's attempt to flick it over the goalkeeper from point-blank range failed miserably, and Pulisic blazed over the crossbar just before the interval.

Three minutes into the second half West Ham exploited the ample space afforded to them in Chelsea's half when Pablo Fornals fed Cresswell, who skilfully cut inside Reece James and curled a shot with his weaker right foot into the far corner of the net with Kepa at full stretch.

Kepa had to be alert to save Fabian Balbuena's powerful header just before the hour mark and Antonio had the ball in the net 10 minutes later only for his bundled effort to be ruled out for handball.

Chelsea only began to show the kind of urgency the situation required when Lampard sent on Callum Hudson-Odoi, whose nimble feet on the left wing caused havoc but failed to create a clear chance as the visitors clung on.

Alli scores twice as Mourinho maintains winning start

Dele Alli scored twice as Tottenham claimed a 3-2 Premier League victory over Bournemouth to maintain their winning start under new head coach Jose Mourinho.

Tottenham beat West Ham and Olympiacos in Mourinho's first two matches and were good value for their latest triumph at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, despite another late collapse.

Alli scored in either half to give the hosts a two-goal advantage, which Moussa Sissoko added to with his first league goal in his past 69 appearances.

Harry Wilson pulled two goals back for Bournemouth - a concerning repeat of the tense finale against West Ham for Mourinho - but Tottenham held on for back-to-back league wins for the first time since April to climb to fifth, six points off a Champions League place.

Tottenham made a slow start but took the lead after 21 minutes through Alli, who slotted the ball underneath Aaron Ramsdale after being teed up by Son Heung-min's first-time pass.

The hosts thought they had a second goal five minutes later when Davinson Sanchez fired home a loose ball, but he was adjudged by the VAR to have handled as he inadvertently blocked Sissoko's shot before finishing.

Spurs were frustrated by the officials again before half-time, with no penalty awarded when Steve Cook appeared to handle as he slid to block Alli's cutback.

But they did double their lead early in the second half thanks to Alli's calm finish after chesting down Toby Alderweireld's long pass, shrugging off Jack Stacey and slotting past Ramsdale.

Alli had a glorious chance to round off his hat-trick before the hour, only to blast over the crossbar as Sissoko's scuffed shot fell into his path.

Sissoko then volleyed in Son's cross to round off a fine Spurs move, but Wilson pulled one back with an impressive 25-yard free-kick to maintain his burgeoning set-piece reputation.

Wilson netted again in the sixth minute of added time, firing in from 10 yards to set up a nervy finish, but it was not enough to deny Mourinho a winning home league start.

Story first published: Saturday, November 30, 2019, 22:45 [IST]
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