Liverpool, Jan 16 (IANS) Liverpool moved up to second place in the Premier League table, beating Brentford 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday.
Fabinho opened the scoring just before the interval for the Reds, converting with a close-range header at the back post from a corner. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain doubled the lead on 69 minutes when he diverted an Andy Robertson-cross home with his head.
Takumi Minamino came off the bench to claim a third goal after Roberto Firmino had regained possession from a Brentford goal kick.
The result moved Liverpool up to second place in the standings, leapfrogging Chelsea with a game in hand on the Londoners.
Liverpool made two changes from the draw with Arsenal on Thursday night, with Curtis Jones and Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing James Milner and Takumi Minamino in the line-up.
Liverpool kicked off on a cr’sp winter’s afternoon at Anfield aiming to end a sequence of three Premier League games without a victory — and they duly made a purposeful start.
Diogo Jota sent a header spinning over the crossbar before Trent Alex’nder-Arnold’s surge into the area resulted in a left-foot shot being blocked by Rico Henry inside the opening 11 minutes.
Alexander-Arnold went close again soon after, this time arrowing a drive a fraction the wrong side of the upright from the edge of the box.
With half-time approaching, a trademark run forward from Matip resulted in a shooting opportunity for the center-back, but he miscued enabling Fernandez to make a routine take before Jota was foiled in the area by a block from Henry.
In another match, Leeds United overcame West Ham United 3-2 with Jack Harrison blasting home a hat-trick.
–IANS
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