Liverpool remained in second place behind Manchester United in the Premier League after a Tim Cahill goal three minutes from time earned Everton a 1-1 draw.
Liverpool put their recent troubles behind them, showing touches of their best early-season vibrancy to overcame Arsenal 3-1 at a jubilant Anfield and leapfrog the Gunners into third place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Liverpool duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were both unexpectedly passed fit on Friday for Saturday's Premier League game against champions Manchester United at Anfield. Gerrard has recently undergone groin surgery and, though manager Rafa Benitez said he thought his captain would make the game, the player himself said last weekend he would prefer more time to get back to full fitness.
Rafael Benitez sees Fernando Torres as the key to Liverpool's chances of beating Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final.
Pressure is something that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says comes with the territory, but after a dismal run, the odds on him becoming the season's first managerial casualty are swiftly shortening.
Norway captain Brede Hangeland scored a first-half goal to hand Fulham, who escaped relegation on the final day of last season, an upset 1-0 home win over Arsenal in the English Premier League on Saturday. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored four minutes into stoppage time to cap a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Middlesbrough at Anfield that gives his side maximum points after two rounds.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United celebrated the festive season with victories on Friday while Arsenal, the other member of the 'big four', squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Aston Villa. Liverpool beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 at Anfield with Robbie Keane scoring twice to give the leaders 42 points, one ahead of Chelsea as the Premier League season reached the halfway point.
Juergen Klopp's Europa League nightmare came true on Friday when his Liverpool side was drawn to meet former club Borussia Dortmund in next month's quarter-finals.
Ryan Giggs is optimistic about Manchester United's chances of beating derby rivals Manchester City to the final Champions League spot by ending the Premier League season in fourth place. United, who are sixth in the table, travel to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday looking to close the gap on their neighbours, who are four points and two places ahead of them. "It's not a big gap," Giggs told the Times. "Especially when you look at the league this season, teams are going to drop points. "It's been a freak season. It's a very tough league where nothing is guaranteed and crazy things have happened. "We have a lot of players back so if you win games the momentum starts and the confidence builds."
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has a midfield conundrum and his Tottenham counterpart Mauricio Pochettino must decide whether Harry Kane is ready for action as both bosses face selection dilemmas for Saturday's Champions League final.
Chelsea missed the chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League when they were held to a 1-1 home draw by West Ham United on Sunday, a day after Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal also drew.
Premier League leaders Liverpool stumbled again at home on Saturday, needing two Steven Gerrard goals to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw with Hull City.
Liverpool have signed Ireland captain Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur for 19 million pounds ($37.76 million), the Premier League club said on their website on Monday. The 28-year-old striker, who spent six years at the London club and is Ireland's all-time highest goalscorer with 33 goals, has signed a four-year contract with the Anfield club.
Liverpool piled more misery on Newcastle United with a 3-0 victory at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday. First-half goals from Jermaine Pennant and Fernando Torres, his 25th of the season, and Steven Gerrard's effort after the break strengthened Liverpool's hold on fourth place over city rivals Everton.
A preview of the line-up action in the English Premier League
Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup in stunning fashion on Saturday when Championship (second division) Barnsley beat them 2-1 at Anfield with a last-minute goal by Brian Howard.
Liverpool are banking on the expected return of Fernando Torres against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to end a dismal record against Spanish sides at Anfield and fire them into the last 16 of the Champions League.
Daniel Sturridge's return from injury to the starting line-up is a massive bonus and will bring the 'fear factor' back to Liverpool, captain Jordan Henderson has said.
Arsenal turned on the style to beat Bolton Wanderers 3-1 on Saturday and get an early-season taste of the top of the Premier League. They top the standings on 12 points, one ahead of Liverpool, who were held to a goalless Anfield draw by Stoke City.
Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in a London derby while Liverpool got back to winning ways with a 4-1 win over Portsmouth.
Brief reports of English Premier League matches on Saturday:
Liverpool and Chelsea drew 1-1 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Anfield on Tuesday after a stoppage-time own goal from the home side's John Arne Riise. Dutchman Dirk Kuyt gave Liverpool the lead after 43 minutes.
The pain of losing two Champions League semi-finals to Liverpool is driving the Chelsea captain to ensure he does not suffer same fate for a third time.
Liverpool reached the Champions League after a Dirk Kuyt goal deep into extra time gave them a 1-0 aggregate win over plucky Belgian rivals Standard Liege.
Arsenal and Liverpool played out a pulsating 1-1 draw while Fenerbahce came from behind for a 2-1 home win over Chelsea in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, first leg matches.
The prospect of the first repeat FA Cup final for 123 years increased on Monday when holders Chelsea and last year's beaten finalists Manchester United were kept apart in the quarter-final draw.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Salah's strikes brought him to a remarkable 43 goals in all competitions this season, keeping him at the front of the list of top scorers in Europe
Premier League referee Rob Styles has been dropped from this weekend's matches after awarding Chelsea a controversial penalty in Sunday's match at Liverpool.
Tottenham Hotspur have shown impressive durability in the Premier League lately, but they will need to be at their most steadfast to deny champions and league leaders Manchester City who travel to Wembley on Monday.
The Egyptian becomes the fastest player to score 50 goals for Liverpool, achieving the feat in 65 games.
Holders Real Madrid chased away some of their early-season blues when Gareth Bale scored the pick of the goals in a 5-1 rout of FC Basel in their Champions League Group B opener on Tuesday.
The last flickering embers of Arsenal's Premier League title hopes will all but be extinguished on Sunday unless they beat vibrant Manchester United at Old Trafford. United lead the title race with 77 points and five matches to play, followed by Chelsea (74 points) and Arsenal (71).
Liverpool snatched a 5-3 aggregate victory over Arsenal after late goals gave them a 4-2 win in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Chelsea scored a 2-0 home win over Turkish champions Fenerbahce to overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit.
Arsenal may be down but manager Arsene Wenger said they are very definitely not yet out of the hunt for major honours this season, which they can prove when they face Liverpool for the third time in a week on Tuesday. Wenger takes his weary men to Anfield for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final after two 1-1 draws with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in the last few days.
Former European champions Ajax Amsterdam and Celtic, who both suffered the indignity of being knocked of the Champions League qualifiers by underdogs this season, will meet in the Europa Leagueafter being drawn together in the group stage on Friday.
Liverpool completed a quartet of weekend wins for the top four with a 1-0 defeat of Everton at the Merseyside derby.
Arsenal regained first place in the Premier League with a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.
Fernando Torres scored his second Anfield hat-trick in less than two weeks as Liverpool thrashed West Ham United 4-0 to go fourth in the English Premier League.
Peter Crouch grabbed a late equaliser to earn Liverpool a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in the English Premier League.
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