Liverpool continued their breathless march to a first English title in 30 years, easing to a 2-0 victory at West Ham United on Wednesday to move 19 points clear at the Premier League summit.
Mohamed Salah fired them ahead from the penalty spot in the first half and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain doubled their advantage early in the second to wrap up a remarkable 23rd win from 24 games this season and stretch their unbeaten league run to 40.
In a fixture postponed from December, when Liverpool were busy winning the Club World Cup, they never looked under much pressure and picked West Ham off at crucial moments, defending manfully when needed and looking a constant menace on the break.
Salah stroked home from the spot in the 35th minute after Divock Origi was chopped down from behind while Oxlade-Chamberlain finished off a lethal counter attack of the sort that has come to characterise Liverpool's season in the 52nd.
West Ham had glimpses of goal, with Manuel Lanzini fluffing an excellent opportunity at the start of the second half and Robert Snodgrass drawing a fine stop from Liverpool keeper Alisson, but their plight looks increasingly bleak.
While Liverpool have amassed a whopping 70 points, David Moyes's side sit 17th with 23, outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Without Sadio Mane, who was missing due to a muscle injury, the visitors seemed to have lost some of their attacking spark in the early stages.
Still, Liverpool could have gone ahead in the 24th minute when Andy Robertson lifted a chance over Lukasz Fabianski before Issa Diop got back to clear. Robertson's fizzing cross four minutes later then narrowly avoided Origi's outstretched boot.
The Belgian striker won Liverpool's penalty when he was sent tumbling by Diop's challenge from behind, which was followed by the seemingly obligatory and lengthy VAR check before Salah was allowed to take the kick.
The Egyptian sent Fabianski diving the wrong way, firing low into the net for his 12th league goal of the campaign.
Both teams had chances in a frenetic start to the second half with Lanzini scuffing a good opportunity that was easily saved while Roberto Firmino squirmed free to draw a better stop from Fabianski at the other end.
Yet a feature of Juergen Klopp's side is their ability to strike with lethal force on the break which they did to double their lead.
A West Ham corner was cleared before Jordan Henderson found Salah. His superb pass picked out Oxlade-Chamberlain who finished with precision on the run to give Liverpool a healthy cushion.
West Ham had chances, with Alisson producing an excellent save to deny Snodgrass and Trent Alexander-Arnold striking the ball forcefully against his own post with an attempted clearance.
The game, however, belonged to Liverpool with Salah hitting the woodwork at the other end before the visitors cruised through to fulltime.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio
Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)
Engine 4.7L V8
Transmission Six-speed automatic
Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
SPECS
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The%20specs
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
if you go
The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles.
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
