LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool sealed the Premier League title in style on Sunday with a 5-1 win against Tottenham.
The Merseyside club’s record-equaling 20th English league title matched the achievement of its great rival Manchester United.
Liverpool fans partied inside and outside its famous Anfield Stadium as coach Arne Slot sealed a remarkable first year in charge of the club.
After going behind to an early goal from Dominic Solanke, Liverpool powered back with strikes from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gapko before halftime to ensure the celebrations wouldn’t be delayed any more. The title was confirmed after the break as Mohamed Salah added another and Destiny Udogie's own-goal rounded off the rout.
Liverpool only needed a point to be crowned champion and a packed Anfield expected nothing less than to see the job get done on home turf.
In the end, the victory was so comfortable that Salah even had time to pose for selfie in front of the famed Kop stand after scoring his 33rd goal of the season in all competitions.
Fans had turned up long before kickoff, lining the streets around the stadium in anticipation of a title party.
The smell of sulphur filled the air as red smoke canisters were let off outside. Liverpool flags were hung from nearby houses.
Inside the ground, giant banners made their way across the stands, celebrating icons past and present.
Slot has joined that list of club greats in only his first season after replacing Jurgen Klopp.
He also joins a select group of managers by winning the title in his first year in the Premier League era — following Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini and Antonio Conte.
He has managed it with plenty to spare, with Liverpool 15 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal with four rounds of the season to go.
It is Liverpool’s second title in five years, having ended a 30-year wait to be champion in 2020.
This time there was a crucial difference as the players were able to celebrate in front of the fans. Five years ago it had to finish off the season behind closed doors as the U.K. faced lockdown restrictions because of the COVID pandemic.
As the final whistle neared, fans in the stadium were on their feet singing the club’s anthem - “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
United leaves it late
Rasmus Hojlund scored in added time to salvage a 1-1 draw for Manchester United at Bournemouth.
United was on course to lose for a 16th time in the league this season after Antoine Semenyo’s first-half strike. But a late flurry of pressure paid off for United after Bournemouth went down to 10 men and Hojlund converted from close range for his ninth goal of the season.
The point moved United up to 14th in the standings.
Semenyo fired a low shot from inside the box to beat United goalkeeper Andre Onana in the 23rd minute.
Bournemouth had chances to extend its lead with Dango Ouattara hitting the post with a free kick after the break. But when Evanilson was sent off for a lunge on Noussair Mazraoui following a VAR review in the 70th, United began to increase the pressure.
The visitors still had to wait until the sixth minute of added time for Hojlund to divert Manuel Ugarte’s effort past Kepa Arrizabalaga.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Robson, The Associated Press
