Leeds 1-6 Liverpool: Reds claim first win in five games to boost European hopes

Leeds 1-6 Liverpool: Reds claim first win in five games to boost European hopes
_129394681_gettyimages-1251925156.jpgCody Gakpo scored his fifth goal for Liverpool since joining the club in January

Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both scored twice as Liverpool claimed a first league win in five games by inflicting a second successive home hammering on Leeds, who remain mired deep in the relegation battle.

The Reds had not won since putting seven unanswered goals past Manchester United at the start of March, but after a slow start they ruthlessly dismantled hapless Leeds.

The home side claimed Trent Alexander-Arnold used an arm to control the ball but he then drove forward to set up Cody Gakpo for the opener before Salah fired in from an angle to put the visitors in control.

Leeds were given hope after the break when Luis Sinisterra dispossessed ponderous Ibrahima Konate and cleverly chipped the ball past Alisson.

However Liverpool quickly responded through Jota's neat finish - the Portugal forward's first goal since April 2022.

After seeing a goal ruled out for offside, Salah then slotted home at the end of a superb move to put the game to bed before Jota grabbed his own second from a Jordan Henderson cross.

Substitute Darwin Nunez completed the rout with a neat side-foot finish against a shambolic Whites side, who conceded five last weekend at home to Crystal Palace and now have the worst defensive record in the Premier League.

On an encouraging night for the visitors, there was also a return to action for Luis Diaz, making his first appearance since October as a late substitute.

Jurgen Klopp's side remain eighth in the Premier League table, a point behind seventh-placed Brighton and two shy of Aston Villa in sixth.

More to follow.

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Leeds United

Squad number1Player nameMeslier

Squad number25Player nameKristensen

Squad number5Player nameKoch

Squad number21Player nameStruijk

Squad number3Player nameFirpo

Squad number28Player nameMcKennie

Squad number8Player nameRoca

Squad number11Player nameHarrison

Squad number7Player nameAaronson

Squad number23Player nameSinisterra

Squad number19Player nameRodrigo

Squad number4Player nameForshaw

Squad number10Player nameSummerville

Squad number24Player nameRutter

Squad number29Player nameGnonto

Line-ups

Leeds

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Meslier

25Kristensen5Koch21Struijk3Firpo

28McKennie8Roca

11Harrison7Aaronson23Sinisterra

19Rodrigo

1Meslier25Kristensen5Koch21Struijk3Firpo28McKennie8Roca11HarrisonSubstituted forGnontoat 77'minutes7AaronsonSubstituted forRutterat 66'minutes23SinisterraSubstituted forForshawat 77'minutes19RodrigoSubstituted forSummervilleat 66'minutes

Substitutes

2Ayling4Forshaw6Cooper10Summerville22Robles24Rutter29Gnonto39Wöber42Greenwood

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

1Alisson

66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson

14Henderson3Fabinho17Jones

11Salah18Gakpo20Jota

1Alisson66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson14HendersonSubstituted forMilnerat 81'minutes3FabinhoBooked at 42minsSubstituted forThiago Alcántaraat 85'minutes17Jones11SalahSubstituted forNúñezat 81'minutes18GakpoSubstituted forDíazat 81'minutes20JotaSubstituted forFirminoat 82'minutes

Substitutes

6Thiago Alcántara7Milner9Firmino19Elliott21Tsimikas23Díaz27Núñez32Matip62KelleherReferee:Craig PawsonAttendance:36,657

Live Text

Match ends, Leeds United 1, Liverpool 6.

Second Half ends, Leeds United 1, Liverpool 6.

Curtis Jones (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Foul by Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United).

Attempt blocked. Curtis Jones (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis Díaz.

Attempt saved. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Curtis Jones with a cross.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Junior Firpo.

Goal! Leeds United 1, Liverpool 6. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a through ball.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Junior Firpo.

James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Marc Roca (Leeds United).

Substitution, Liverpool. Thiago replaces Fabinho.

Attempt saved. Marc Roca (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Crysencio Summerville.

Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).

Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Diogo Jota.

Substitution, Liverpool. Darwin Núñez replaces Mohamed Salah.

Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Jordan Henderson.

Substitution, Liverpool. Luis Díaz replaces Cody Gakpo.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

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