This archive report was first published on 6 July 2020.
Premier League Weekend Recap: Liverpool and Manchester City Extend Dominance ¶
July 6, 2020
Liverpool and Manchester City continued to assert their dominance in the Premier League, with contrasting fortunes on display over the weekend. The 23-point gap between them at the top of the table remains a testament to their exceptional form.
Manchester United's Mason Greenwood and Leicester City's Jamie Vardy stole the show, scoring twice each in big victories for their respective teams. Greenwood's impressive display earned him praise from manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who described him as 'one of the best – if not the best – finisher I have worked with and seen.'
Greenwood's double helped United score five goals at Old Trafford in a league game for the first time since 2011. The team's resurgence, coupled with the return of Paul Pogba, has finally given them the look of the sides Solskjaer played in during Alex Ferguson's reign.
Meanwhile, Liverpool returned to Anfield for the first time since being crowned Premier League champions, but the Kop was quiet due to the ongoing pandemic. Despite the lack of atmosphere, the Reds secured a 24th straight league victory at Anfield, thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Curtis Jones.
Leicester City's struggles since the restart have coincided with a dry spell in front of goal for Vardy. However, both came to an end as the talismanic number nine scored twice against Crystal Palace to become the 29th player to score 100 Premier League goals.
At the other end of the table, Norwich City's chances of avoiding relegation appear to be dwindling. A sixth straight defeat leaves the Canaries seven points adrift of safety, and even manager Daniel Farke is resigned to a return to the Championship next season.
Manchester City, on the other hand, wasted plenty of chances in losing 1-0 at Southampton. The visitors had 74 percent possession and had 26 shots but failed to score and paid for one defensive error.
