Joy for Jota as Liverpool thump Leeds 6-1 at Elland Road

LEEDS, England : Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah grabbed two goals each as Liverpool banished their away day blues with an emphatic 6-1 Premier League victory over lowly Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday.

Jota was on the scoresheet for the first time in over a year while Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez were also on target as Liverpool recorded a second away win in 2023.

They move to 47 points from 30 games, nine behind Newcastle United in the fourth Champions League qualification position.

Leeds had chances in the first half but just as in the 5-1 home loss to Crystal Palace in their previous match, they were far too open defensively.

They remain two points above the relegation zone after 31 games. Luis Sinisterra scored their consolation goal.

Salah now has nine goals in six league matches against Leeds, a joint Liverpool record with Gordon Hodgson, and has moved to 26 for the season after two clinical finishes.

There was some controversy over Liverpool’s first goal from Gakpo in the 35th minute as Leeds claimed a handball from Trent Alexander-Arnold in the build-up but as the fullback was not the scorer the Video Assistant Referee did not intervene.

It is a first win in six games in all competitions for Liverpool, whose Champions League qualification hopes look a long-shot, but there was some swagger back in the performance that has been missing away from Anfield this season.