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Manchester United players react after conceding their third goal during their Premier League clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, May 13, 2021. /CFP
Liverpool kept their chances of a place in next season's Champions League in their own hands with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Jurgen Klopp's men still need to win their remaining three games to guarantee a place in the Premier League's top four, but cleared the biggest hurdle in their path with a first victory away to United since 2014.
Roberto Firmino scored twice on either side of half-time after Diogo Jota canceled out an early opener by Bruno Fernandes for the home side.
Marcus Rashford's strike set up a grandstand finish, but Mohamed Salah secured a vital win in the final minute as Liverpool moved up to fifth in the table.
The Reds now need victories against West Brom, Burnley and Crystal Palace over the next 10 days to guarantee their place in the Champions League for a fifth consecutive season at the expense of one of Leicester and Chelsea.
The Foxes and the Champions League finalists face off in the Premier League on Tuesday, three days after they contest the FA Cup final at Wembley.
The clash between English football's two most successful clubs had been postponed 11 days ago as United fans stormed the pitch and clashed with police amid protests against the club's owners. A peaceful protest took place before kick-off as supporters again voiced their anger at the Glazer family.
Liverpool's Roberto Firmino (R) celebrates with Mohamed Salah after scoring their side's third goal during their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, May 13, 2021. /CFP
In Spain, Real Madrid kept the pressure on Atletico Madrid by thrashing Granada 4-1 to reduce the gap to two points at the top of La Liga, with two games left to play.
A draw or defeat for Real Madrid would have given Atletico the chance to win the title on Sunday by beating Osasuna but goals from Luka Modric, Rodrygo, Alvaro Odriozola and Karim Benzema secured a comfortable victory at Los Carmenes.
Atletico could still be crowned champions this weekend if they overcome Osasuna and Real Madrid fail to win away at Athletic Bilbao but the Spanish title race has been full of surprises and still nothing is guaranteed.
Even third-placed Barcelona are still in the running, even if Tuesday's 3-3 draw away at Levante leaves them needing an incredible swing of results if they are to overturn a four-point deficit in two games.
Zidane started three 20-year-olds and a 19-year-old in what was arguably, given the stakes, the club's most important league game of the season and his youngsters delivered.
Miguel Gutierrez, 19, started at right back and gave a spectacular assist for Modric's opener while 20-year-old Marvin Park played at left back and made the recovery that led to fellow 20-year-old Rodrygo adding a second.
Zidane has been as loyal as ever to his ageing core this season but necessity has forced him to turn to look elsewhere and it remains to be seen whether he shows more trust in the likes of Miguel and Marvin in future.
Dortmund's Erling Haaland lifts the trophy as his teammates celebrate after winning the German Cup final at Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, May 13, 2021. /CFP
In Germany, Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland both netted twice as Borussia Dortmund won the German Cup with an emphatic 4-1 win over RB Leipzig to spoil Julian Nagelsmann's hopes of leaving with a title.
Dortmund turned on the style at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, converting all of their three first-half shots on target to sweep Leipzig aside as Sancho netted twice either side of a superb Haaland goal.
The England winger could have claimed a hat-trick late on after rounding Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, but failed to get his shot away.
Spain midfielder Dani Olmo pulled a goal back for Leipzig, before Haaland grabbed his second in the dying stages despite slipping as he connected.
Dortmund lifted the German Cup for the fifth time in the club's history.
"It's unbelievable, I am proud of the morale the team has shown in the last few weeks," said captain Marco Reus as Dortmund have also recently got back into the Bundesliga's Champions League places.
Defeat in Berlin dashed Nagelsmann's hopes of winning the first senior title of his coaching career before leaving after two years coaching RB Leipzig to take the helm at Bayern Munich next season.
RB Leipzig, who were only founded in 2009, are also waiting for a first major title having also lost the 2019 German Cup final to Bayern.
"I'm proud of the team, but it's not good to lose a final," admitted Nagelsmann. "We were a bit too passive in our own box and we had to much to do at 3-0 down."
Source(s): AFP
