LONDON: Liverpool’s livewire Sadio Mane scored one goal and played a crucial part in the other as they reclaimed the Premier League’s top spot with a scrappy 2-1 win at second bottom Fulham on Sunday.

It had looked like being a frustrating day for Juergen Klopp’s side after Mane’s opener was cancelled out by Ryan Babel following a mistake by Virgil van Dijk, but substitute James Milner slotted home an 81st-minute penalty to take the points.

Liverpool have 76 points from 31 games, two more than champions Manchester City who have a game in hand. Fulham have 17 points and a mountain to climb if they are to avoid almost certain relegation from the top flight.

Mane is proving to Liverpool’s most important attacker in the run-in. The Senegal forward made it 11 goals in his last 11 games by converting a cut-back from Roberto Firmino in the 26th minute at Craven Cottage.

A calamitous Van Dijk error gifted Fulham a 74th-minute equaliser, as his poor header back to keeper Alisson Becker was intercepted by former Liverpool winger Babel who stroked the ball into an empty net.

Another howler, this time by Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico, decided the contest as the keeper spilled a tame Mohamed Salah shot and then hauled down Mane who pounced on the rebound, leaving Milner to stroke home the winner from the spot.

On Saturday, Huddersfield Town’s hopes of staving off relegation were all but over after giving up a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 at West Ham United and Burnley put themselves in danger of going down when they couldn’t convert a one-man advantage against Leicester City, losing 2-1 after conceding a last-minute goal.

Bottom side Huddersfield were 3-1 up after Karlan Grant scored his second goal of the game in the 65th minute and looked headed for only a second win since November. But after Angelo Ogbonna pulled one back for West Ham, substitute Javier Hernandez scored two late goals to complete the comeback.

It leaves Huddersfield staring at near-certain relegation as the team remained 16 points from safety with seven games left.

Burnley had a great chance to move five points clear of the drop zone but couldn’t take advantage of Leicester defender Harry Maguire’s sending-off after four minutes.

Wes Morgan scored a 90th-minute winner for the visitors, leaving Burnley just two points ahead of 18th-placed Cardiff City, who has a game in hand.

In the third league game of the day, Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie scored a stoppage-time equalizer against his former club to secure a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2019