Liverpool opens up 25-point lead

Super-sub Pasalic hits winner for Atalanta

February 16, 2020 10:14 pm | Updated 10:14 pm IST - London

Atalanta's Mario Pasalic celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Roma at the Atleti Azzurri d’Italia Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Gianluca Checchi/LaPresse via AP)

Atalanta's Mario Pasalic celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Roma at the Atleti Azzurri d’Italia Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Gianluca Checchi/LaPresse via AP)

Sadio Mane struck as Liverpool overcame Storm Dennis and feisty basement club Norwich 1-0 to extend its lead at the top of the Premier League table to 25 points.

Jurgen Klopp’s champion-elect was short of its fluent best in windy conditions at Carrow Road on Saturday but returned immediately to winning ways after its winter break.

Liverpool has gone 43 top-flight matches unbeaten, just six matches behind Arsenal’s record of 49 games in 2003-04 and is sprinting towards its first league title for 30 years.

“They caused us a few problems but overall I thought it was another good performance and we got the goal to get us the three points,” Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson told Sky Sports.

The result leaves Daniel Farke’s Norwich rooted to the bottom of the table, six points behind 19th-placed Watford. It looks set for an immediate return to the Championship despite its battling performance.

Atalanta beats Roma

Mario Pasalic scored the winner seconds after coming off the bench as Atalanta came from behind to beat Roma 2-1 and consolidate fourth place in Serie A at the expense of its Champions League rival from the capital.

The Croatia midfielder came on just before the hour mark on Saturday to fire in the crucial goal 19 seconds later, to boost confidence ahead of his side’s first ever Champions League last 16 game against Valencia, not at its home 21,300-seater Gewiss Stadium, but at the much larger San Siro next week.

“This is an important victory,” said Atalanta coach Gianpiero Gasperini.

“Against a side like Roma this advantage is not definitive. They are a strong team, but in us there is the belief that we can finish in front.”

The results: Premier League: Aston Villa 2 (Alderweireld 9-og, Engels 53) lost to Tottenham 3 (Alderweireld 27, Son 45+2, 90+4)

Serie A: Udinese 0 drew with Hellas Verona 0; Sassuolo 0 lost to Parma 1 (Gervinho 25); Sampdoria 1 (Gabbiadini 90) lost to Fiorentina 5 (Thorsby 8-og, Vlahovic 18-pen, 57, Chiesa 40-pen, 78); Juventus 2 (Dybala 38, Cuadrado 75) bt Brescia 0.

Saturday: Premier League: Norwich 0 lost to Liverpool 1 (Mane 78).

La Liga: Barcelona 2 (Griezmann 33, Roberto 39) bt Getafe 1 (Rodriguez 66); Villarreal 2 (Gerard 9, Moises 61) bt Levante 1 (Mayoral 56); Granada 2 (Antonio Rodriguez 81, Carlos Fernandez 90+6) bt Valladolid 1 (Guardiola Navarro 56).

Serie A: Lecce 2 (Mancosu 41-pen, Majer 66) bt SPAL 1 (Petagna 47); Bologna 0 lost to Genoa 3 (Soumaoro 28, Sanabria 44, Criscito 90-pen); Atalanta 2 (Palomino 50, Pasalic 59) bt Roma 1 (Dzeko 45).

Bundesliga: RB Leipzig 3 (Klostermann 18, Schick 39, Mukiele 46) bt Werder Bremen 0; Hoffenheim 2 (Baumgartner 45, Kramaric 60-pen) lost to VfL Wolfsburg 3 (Weghorst 18-pen, 52-pen, 71); Augsburg 1 (Max 38) drew with Freiburg 1 (Haberer 51); Paderborn 1 (Jarstein 51-og) lost to Hertha Berlin 2 (Boyata 10, Cunha 67); Union Berlin 2 (Gentner 7, Buelter 87) lost to Bayer Leverkusen 3 (Havertz 22, Diaby 83, Bellarabi 90+4).

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