Cardiff 0-2 Liverpool: Gini Wijnaldum strike and James Milner penalty put Reds back on top of Premier League table
Liverpool once again answered Man City in this titanic Premier League title race by earning a 2-0 win at Cardiff to go back to the top of the table.
Once again Liverpool refused to go away as a fantastic Gini Wijnaldum strike and late James Milner penalty saw them go two points above City once more.
That sets up a monumental Manchester derby now on Wednesday as Pep Guardiola's side have to win at Old Trafford to regain top spot.
Neil Warnock's side turned up the heat both on and off the pitch in a sun drenched Cardiff City Stadium and gave Jurgen Klopp's Reds a rough ride in the early stages.
Roberto Firmino missed a glorious opportunity mid-way through the first half as the Reds got a solid foothold in the game and began to dominate both possession and territory.
Mohamed Salah had his effort saved when one-on-one with Neil Etheridge as Cardiff managed to hold out until half time to give themselves hope of an unlikely point in their battle for survival.
Their resistance was broke on 57 minutes though as Wijnaldum lashed in Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner in tremendous fashion to send the Reds fans behind that goal wild.
Sean Morrison missed a glorious chance to level with he managed to nod a free header over with an open goal gaping - and it got worse for him soon after as he brought down Salah for the clinching penalty.
It was Morrison's failure to clear that led to the Egyptian holding the ball up against him inside the box, and the Liverpool man tumbled as Morrison grappled with him - and from 12 yards Miner rarely misses.
Cardiff 0-2 Liverpool - Opta stats
- Liverpool have now amassed 88 points in the league this season, their best ever total in a Premier League season; adjusting to three points for a win, they have only earned more in a top-flight campaign in 1978-79 (98) and 1987-88 (90).
- This was Cardiff City’s 10th home league defeat of the season, their most in a single season since 1994-95 in the third-tier, when they lost 12 and were relegated.
- The top six teams have won all 33 of their Premier League matches versus the current bottom three teams in the table this season. This is a top-flight record; surpassing 30 wins in such games in 1891-92, 1978-79, 1985-86, 2001-02, 2011-12 & 2013-14.
- Liverpool have now won nine consecutive matches in all competitions, their longest winning streak since April 2014 under Brendan Rodgers (also nine games) – a run which also included a victory away at Cardiff.
- Cardiff have now lost each of their four Premier League matches against Liverpool, conceding 15 goals in all, more than they have against any other opponent in the competition.
- Georginio Wijnaldum's goal for Liverpool was just his second to be scored away from home in the Premier League, with the other 19 all coming in home games.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold’s assist for Liverpool was his 10th of the season in all competitions, seven of which have come in his last 11 matches.
- Liverpool have scored more goals via corners (13) than any other side in the Premier League this season, whilst Cardiff have conceded the most from such scenarios (12).
- 10 of James Milner's last 12 league goals for Liverpool have come from the penalty spot, with nine of those 12 goals also coming away from home.
- Only Wilfried Zaha (six) has won more Premier League penalties this season than Liverpool forward Mo Salah (five).