London (AFP)

Liverpool, stripped of Sadio Mané shortly after half an hour of play, again won a game in the final minutes to beat Wolverhampton (2-1) on Thursday at the end of the 24th day of the Premier League.

The Reds are 16 points ahead of Manchester City with 22 wins in 23 games and 67 points, while their evening hosts are ambushed in the race for Europe, and why not the Champions League, 7th, six lengths of Chelsea, 4th.

Well organized, with no real weaknesses, with beautiful individuals such as the winger Adama Traoré, and very good set kickers, Wolverhampton looked like the robot portrait of the team capable of bringing down the Reds.

And they actually tied the game with Liverpool quickly deprived of Sadio Mané who asked to leave after just over half an hour of play (33rd) to be replaced by Takumi Minamino.

According to the English press, it was rather a replacement as a precaution due to a small discomfort in hamstrings.

The absence of the Senegalese and his ability to stand out in the intervals was lacking in the Reds who have long struggled to create offensively offsets.

Mohamed Salah distinguished himself by a nice ride before being countered in extremis (45 + 2) and by a ball recovered near the surface, followed by a powerful shot repelled by Rui Patricio (47th), who is also illustrated by a magnificent foot stop in front of Roberto Firmino at the 82nd.

Unfortunately for him and the Wolves, Liverpool always find a way to break through the toughest defenses.

For the opening of the score, Jordan Henderson took advantage of a marking error in the half-individual defense, half-zone of the orange yellows, to prick at the far post and take a header from a corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold (0 -1, 8e).

It was the 22nd assists in the league since the start of last season - 5 more than any other player - in N.66, staggering figures for a right-back.

And the goal of the victory returned to Roberto Firmino, after a beautiful collective action, of a powerful strike in the skylight (1-2, 84e).

Wolverhampton may regret not having made the most of the highlight of its duo Adama Traoré-Raul Jimenez.

The center of England club had managed to equalize on a long one-two between the two men, the Mexican throwing the Spaniard on the wing, which gave him a dive center, propelled by Jimenez of a head uncrossed out of reach of Alisson.

The Reds can however thank their Brazilian goalkeeper, present on a shot from Traoré (6th) and who remained well on his support facing the ball dived in a closed angle from Jimenez (68th) who could have tilted the match.

Full results of the 24th day:

Tuesday

Bournemouth - Brighton 3 - 1

Sheffield United - Manchester City 0 - 1

Everton - Newcastle 2 - 2

Aston Villa - Watford 2 - 1

Crystal Palace - Southampton 0 - 2

Chelsea - Arsenal 2 - 2

Wednesday

Leicester - West Ham 4 - 1

Tottenham - Norwich City 2 - 1

Manchester United - Burnley 0 - 2

Thursday

Wolverhampton - Liverpool 1 - 2

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