Salah signs new long-term contract with Liverpool: club

Mohamed Salah fired Liverpool eight points clear at the top of the Premier League as the leaders survived a scare from lowly Southampton thanks to the Egypt star's second half double in a 3-2 away win on Sunday.

Arne Slot's side had squandered the lead given to them by Dominik Szoboszlai's second goal this season as Adam Armstrong levelled before the break at St Mary's.

Mateus Fernandes put bottom of the table Southampton ahead after the interval before Salah sparred Liverpool's blushes.

Salah coolly netted the equaliser and then held his nerve to stroke home the late penalty that gave him 12 goals in all competitions this season and six in his last five league appearances.

Thanks to Salah's late heroics, Liverpool have left second placed Manchester City trailing in their wake after the champions' dismal 4-0 defeat against Tottenham on Saturday.

Slot has made a remarkable start to his time in charge of the Reds, winning 16 of his first 18 games in all competitions.

The former Feyenoord manager's deft touch has established Liverpool as favourites for a first Premier League title since 2020 in his maiden season at Anfield after replacing Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool were below their best against Southampton but the gritty victory was the ideal start to a pivotal period.

The Reds host Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, before Manchester City head to Anfield next weekend.

Liverpool have won 10 of their first 12 league matches, with only two previous teams in the competition's history failing to lift the title after reaching that mark.

On a wet and windy afternoon on the south-coast, Liverpool threatened to blow Southampton away as Salah unleashed a curling effort that forced Alex McCarthy into a sprawling save.

Salah volleyed over from Andrew Robertson's cross and went close again moments later, taking a touch at the far post before drilling a low strike that McCarthy repelled at full-stretch.

Szoboszlai was next to test the over-worked McCarthy with a long-range blast, before Cody Gakpo almost beat the Southampton keeper from the edge of the area.

- Salah to the rescue -

Southampton manager Russell Martin has been criticised for sticking to his philosophy of playing out from the back despite some costly mistakes from his defenders.

Once again, Martin's men were punished for taking an unnecessary risk in their own area as Liverpool took the lead in the 30th minute.

McCarthy needlessly rolled the ball to Fernandes, who was immediately put under pressure by Curtis Jones, prompting a panicked clearance from Flynn Downes.

Szoboszlai seized on the miscued pass and slotted a composed finish past McCarthy from 18 yards.

Out-played for much of the half, Southampton snatched a controversial equaliser in the 42nd minute.

Virgil van Dijk carelessly conceded possession to Tyler Dibling and Robertson responded by tripping the winger on the edge of the area.

Referee Sam Barrott pointed to the spot even though the foul appeared to have taken place just outside the box, with VAR supporting his decision.

Armstrong's penalty was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, but the Southampton forward reacted quickest to smash the rebound past the Liverpool keeper.

Liverpool had lost their momentum and they were hit with a sucker punch in the 56th minute.

Dibling started the devastating break with a superb long pass that Armstrong surging towards the Liverpool area, where he checked back and found the unmarked Fernandes, who guided an inch-perfect shot past Kelleher.

But Salah hauled Liverpool level nine minutes later after another McCarthy howler.

Salah's well-timed run beat the Southampton offside trap and McCarthy's ill-judged decision to race off his line allowed the Egyptian to meet Ryan Gravenberch's pass with a predatory finish.

Liverpool could scent victory and they were handed the points with seven minutes left.

Yukinari Sugawara blocked Salah's cross with his arm and the Egyptian stepped up to drive the penalty past McCarthy before whipping off his shirt in a delirious celebration.

Virgil van Dijk has urged Liverpool to hit back after their "unacceptable" defeat against Nottingham Forest as the Reds prepare to start their Champions League campaign.

Just days after their shock 1-0 loss to Forest in the Premier League, Arne Slot's side begin the new Champions League format with a trip to AC Milan on Tuesday.

After winning the first three games of the Slot era, Liverpool were brought down to earth with a bump by Forest at Anfield on Saturday.

Liverpool captain Van Dijk wants the defeat to serve as fuel to beat Milan and quickly get their campaign back on track.

"We have a very good group that really understand that it was unacceptable and are disappointed," the Dutch centre-back said.

"We all know everyone can do better and we have to show that on Tuesday and that is what we focus on.

"We have been through losses and difficult moments together and I think we have to stay calm and we will stay calm.

"Hopefully if there are no injuries happening then rhythm is always a good thing.

"We need the whole squad and we know after the international break it will be a game every three days so we need everyone in their best shape and best form."

Liverpool had looked impressive in their wins against Ipswich, Brentford and Manchester United.

They managed to avoid conceding a goal in any of those games, before Forest forward Callum Hudson-Odoi finally breached Van Dijk's defence at the weekend.

Asked what they had to do to prevent the defeat impacting their early-season momentum, Van Dijk said: "Keep going and keep working and make sure the performances don't go in that direction.

"We all know how the atmosphere can change but that is also part of the influence from outside which could affect you.

"I can't wait to be out there hearing the Champions League tune and leading out the boys.

"A club like Liverpool needs to be in the Champions League and we are finally back and let's go out there and put in a much better performance as it is needed otherwise you are going to have an issue."

Manchester City suffered their first Premier League loss since December as Bournemouth stunned the champions, while Arsenal were rocked by Newcastle and Liverpool seized top spot on Saturday.

City were unbeaten in their previous 32 league games dating back to a defeat at Aston Villa last year.

But Pep Guardiola's second-placed side saw that streak came to an unexpected end in a 2-1 loss on England's south coast.

The Cherries had never beaten City in their 21 previous meetings, losing 19 of those matches, yet Andoni Iraola's team sprang a huge upset to derail the champions' push for a fifth successive title.

Bournemouth recently damaged Arsenal's title hopes with a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium and they inflicted pain on City as well.

Guardiola had claimed City faced an injury "emergency" after they suffered fitness problems in Wednesday's League Cup defeat at Tottenham.

But Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol all started against Bournemouth after injury doubts, with Kevin De Bruyne, Savinho and Jeremy Doku fit enough to be named among the substitutes.

Exhausted or not, City were rocked in the ninth minute when Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo drilled Milos Kerkez's cross past Ederson from inside the area.

Guardiola's men were unable to muster a response to that blow and Evanilson doubled Bournemouth's lead in the 64th minute with a composed finish from Kerkez's cross.

Gvardiol's header reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute, but it was too late to save City from a second defeat in four days.

Newcastle put a huge dent in fourth=placed Arsenal's title aspirations with a 1-0 win at St James' Park.

Alexander Isak netted in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross.

Injury-hit Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and produced just one shot on target in the entire game.

Mikel Arteta's team, runners-up to City for the past two years, have taken just one point from their last three games as their push for a first title since 2004 was derailed by a second league defeat this term.

"Today we weren't our best version. It's about how you react to that. We're not going to find the right words or answers to describe how we feel," said Arteta, whose side are seven points adrift of first place.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah celebrates his winning goal against Brighton. Photo: Reuters

- Liverpool's late power surge -

At Anfield, Liverpool were in danger of a surprise loss of their own before regrouping to take advantage of their rivals' stumbles with a 2-1 win over Brighton.

Ferdi Kadioglu gave Brighton the lead in the 14th minute with a fierce strike that cannoned in off the post after Danny Welbeck flicked on Kaoru Mitoma's cross.

But Liverpool had beaten Brighton in the League Cup last 16 in midweek and they repeated the trick thanks to a late revival.

Cody Gakpo bagged the equaliser in the 70th minute with a cross that looped straight into the net.

Two minutes later, Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, the Egypt forward curling a fine finish into the top corner for his ninth goal this season.

In Arne Slot's first season in charge, Liverpool are two points clear of City after their eighth win in 10 league games.

Nottingham Forest are up to third place after beating 10-man West Ham 3-0 to make it three consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since 1999.

Chris Wood grabbed his eighth goal in 10 league games as the New Zealand striker headed home after 27 minutes.

West Ham had Edson Alvarez sent off in first half stoppage-time for two bookings.

Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 65th minute and Ola Aina sealed the points 12 minutes from full-time at the City Ground.

Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time equaliser denied Ipswich their first top-flight win since 2002 as Leicester rescued a 1-1 draw at Portman Road.

Leif Davis's 55th minute volley put Ipswich ahead but the hosts had Kalvin Phillips sent off in the 77th minute.

Ayew levelled with seconds left to leave third-bottom Ipswich winless after 10 games.

Second-bottom Southampton earned their first league win this season as Adam Armstrong's 85th minute strike sealed a 1-0 success against Everton.

Liverpool opened a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as breakaway goals by Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah sealed a 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Manchester City's earlier defeat was the perfect pre-match tonic for Liverpool and Nunez's 20th minute strike following a lightning counter-attack set the tone at Anfield.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher made some vital saves to preserve his side's lead but Salah raced clear in the 84th minute to wrap up the points and maintain their sensational start to the season under new manager Arne Slot.

They have won 15 out of 17 games in all competitions since the Dutchman replaced Juergen Klopp in the close season.

Liverpool will head into the international break with 28 points from 11 games with reigning champions City on 23.

Villa's third league defeat of the season leaves them down in eighth place with 18 points.

Slot saluted the ecstatic Anfield crowd at the fulltime whistle and they roared their approval as the post-Klopp era continues to defy even the most optimistic forecasts.

After a relatively comfortable run of fixtures at the start of the season, Liverpool have now drawn away at Arsenal, beaten a dangerous Brighton and Hove Albion and thrashed Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

"We have players who are so fast on the counter-attack so it was good to see we scored two from them," Slot said.

"We are really happy that after such a difficult period most of our players stayed fit. We've had some tough tests for sure, but after the break again they are tough.

"Margins are small, we have a bit of a margin but there are many challenges to come."

Liverpool were made to work hard by a patient Villa side but combined a measured approach in defence with lethal counter-attacking that could have delivered more than the two goals.

Nunez's opening goal stemmed from a Villa corner. As the ball was cleared, Virgil van Dijk's pass sent Salah steaming into the Villa half and although he was bundled over by Leon Bailey the ball ran to Nunez who rounded Emiliano Martinez and slammed home a right-footed shot from a narrow angle.

Uruguayan Nunez should have made it 2-0 from an almost carbon copy situation shortly afterwards.

Again Liverpool burst out of defence in scintillating fashion and Nunez raced clear but with the goal at his mercy he lifted his shot over the crossbar.

Villa responded well and Kelleher, who has been so impressive in the absence of first-choice Alisson, tipped away a glancing header by Amadou Onana.

Kelleher then made a superb reflex save to keep out a close-range effort by Diego Carlos.

Villa looked more than capable of equalising after the break but Liverpool defended solidly and Salah floored them with his eighth league goal of the campaign.

Quality players like Mohamed Salah are crucial in big games, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said after the Egypt international's late strike secured a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

Salah, who said last month he was poised to leave Liverpool after this season, also scored in last weekend's 2-1 win over Chelsea, after netting the winning goal from the penalty spot at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

"I think that's one of the things that top players have, that they are always available and they show up in the big games," Slot told reporters.

"That's also what you need if you are a big club, like we are and like Arsenal is, then you need these quality players because if you don't have them, it's going to be quite difficult to get your results.

Salah, who is tied with Robbie Fowler as Liverpool's eighth-highest goalscorer of all time with 163 strikes, has scored six goals in the league this season. Salah was on the scoresheet in five of Liverpool's seven league wins.

"It's something you need to have as a club, to have these players that can make the difference for you, and Mo was that today offensively," Slot added.

Liverpool, who have 22 points from nine matches, are one point behind leaders Manchester City.

Slot's team play Brighton & Hove Albion twice this week, away in the League Cup on Wednesday followed by a home league game on Saturday.