Liverpool makes triumphant Anfield return as English champ

y walked out to ar guard of hor, with a huge rectangular banner high up in Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand reading: “Liverpool FC – Champions Again”.

Liverpool’s players were back home at Anfield for first time since winning a first English league title since 1990.

It was a triumphant return, too.

Lacking intensity and precision that brought team title in devastating fashion, Liverpool still mand to eke out a 2-0 win over Aston Villa to move in sight of a slew of records to cap one of best ever top-flight campaigns.

Second-half goals by Sadio Mane and Curtis Jones secured a 17th straight win at Anfield, with just two more needed — against Burnley and Chelsea — to complete a 100% home record that would be unprecedented in Premier League. Four wins from last five matches and Liverpool will also pass Manchester City’s record from 2017-18 of 100 points in one season.

t that Jürgen Klopp is necessarily counting.

“ only thing I can say,” Liverpool manr said, “is re’s chance to win records if you constantly think about records.

“We don’t want records. We want three points.”

That’s something Liverpool almost always man to obtain, however it plays.

Er to rebound from a 4-0 loss at Manchester City on Thursday where ir attitude was widely questioned, Klopp’s players were again t at ir best without backing of ir fans inside an empty stadium.

But y eventually ground Villa down with a resilience and relentlessness that Klopp has forged in his team.

Mane swept home a finish off underside of crossbar in 71st for his 16th league goal of season before Jones converted a shot from 10 meters out in 89th after a d-down from Mohamed Salah for his first Premier League goal.

“Jürgen Klopp teams don’t take ir foot off gas,” Villa manr Dean Smith said, ackwledging impact made by three Liverpool substitutes — Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmi — who came on after an hour.

With second-place City losing 1-0 hours later at Southampton, Liverpool is on course to win league by a record margin. lead is currently 23 points, four more than biggest ever final margin set by City in 2017-18.

GUARDIOLA'S AWAY BLUES

Manchester City manr Pep Guardiola has lost three straight away games in league for first time as a coach. That unwanted record was sealed by a first-half wonder goal from Che Adams.

Southampton striker hadn't scored in his debut season at club but, on his 30th appearance, he executed a lob from around 40 meters that sailed over City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes and curled into an unguarded net.

City's players lacked cutting edge y had in 4-0 win over Liverpool on Thursday, failing to score despite having 26 shots in game in a dominant performance at St. Mary's Stadium.

City is still likely to finish second in league because dethroned champions are eight points clear of third-place Leicester.

WEST HAM FOILED

West Ham inched closer to safety despite twice throwing away lead to draw 2-2 at Newcastle.

Jonjo Shelvey's 67th-minute strike for hosts canceled out a goal by Tomas Soucek only 92 seconds earlier, denying West Ham back-to-back wins after its surprising victory over Chelsea in midweek.

West Ham is 16th in 20-team league, four points above two teams in relegation zone — 18th-place Aston Villa and 19th-place Bournemouth. Newcastle is in 12th place and safe from relegation.

BLADES BLUNTED

Sheffield United's players resumed Premier League with an outside shot at Champions League qualification. w best y can realistically hope for is a place in Europa League.

A 1-1 draw at Burnley left United seven points off fifth place, which is currently final Champions League qualifying spot, but only one behind Arsenal in seventh place, which is set to earn Europa League qualification this season.

John Egan secured draw with an 80th-minute equalizer, canceling out fellow center back James Tarkowski's goal for Burnley.