Liverpool’s 18-match winning run in focus as they match Premier League record

Liverpool beat West Ham 3-2 to secure a record-equalling 18th successive Premier League win.Sadio Mane scored with less than 10 minutes remaining to settle a dramatic encounter at Anfield as Liverpool matched the feat achieved by Manchester City in late 2017.Here, the PA news agency looks back at the historic run and the players involved.Matches1: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 1, October 27Mohamed Salah, right, celebrates with fellow goalscorer Jordan Henderson in the game against Tottenham (Peter Byrne/PA)Harry Kane gave Spurs an early lead but Jordan Hendersons equaliser and Mohamed Salahs penalty turned the tables.2: Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 2, November 2The Reds left it late, with Andy Robertson and Mane scoring in the final four minutes after Trezeguets opener.3: Liverpool 3 Manchester City 1, November 10A major early strike in the title battle as goals from Fabinho, Salah and Mane left last seasons champions nine points behind despite Bernardo Silvas consolation.4: Crystal Palace 1 Liverpool 2, November 23Manes opener was cancelled out by Wilfried Zaha in the 82nd minute but Roberto Firmino soon restored the lead.5: Liverpool 2 Brighton 1, November 30Virgil Van Dijk celebrates his first goal against Brighton (Anthony Devlin/PA)Virgil Van Dijks double proved enough, despite goalkeeper Alisson Beckers dismissal which was further punished by Lewis Dunks free-kick goal.6: Liverpool 5 Everton 2, December 4A wild derby saw two goals from Divock Origi and one apiece for Xherdan Shaqiri and Mane give Liverpool a 4-2 lead at the end of a first half in which Michael Keane and Richarlison scored for Everton. Georginio Wijnaldum completed the scoring late on.7: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 3, December 7Alisson returned to restore order with the start of a remarkable run of 10 clean sheets in 11 games, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Salah found the Cherries net.8: Liverpool 2 Watford 0, December 14Salah scored twice as Liverpool marched on.9: Leicester 0 Liverpool 4, December 26Trent Alexander-Arnold inspired victory over Leicester (Tim Goode/PA)Boxing Day brought perhaps the finest performance of the run. Firmino scored twice, James Milner converted a penalty and full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold contributed a goal and three assists.10: Liverpool 1 Wolves 0, December 29Wolves battled hard but a solitary Mane goal got the job done.11: Liverpool 2 Sheffield United 0, January 2Salah and Mane sunk Chris Wilders Blades.12: Tottenham 0 Liverpool 1, January 11Firmino scored the only goal in north London.13: Liverpool 2 Manchester United 0, January 19From Alisson to the back of the other net in less than 10 seconds Take a bow, @Alissonbecker @MoSalah pic.twitter.com/Vxv2e3ZJo8 LFC USA (@LFCUSA) January 19, 2020Van Dijks goal put Klopps men on top against their bitter rivals and Salahs late clincher was memorable for Alissons length-of-the-field assist and celebration.14: Wolves 1 Liverpool 2, January 23Raul Jimenez cancelled out Hendersons opener and became the first man to beat Alisson since November, but Firmino had the final say.15: West Ham 0 Liverpool 2, January 29Salahs first-half penalty and Oxlade-Chamberlains strike made it 15 in a row.16: Liverpool 4 Southampton 0, February 1Salahs brace, added to goals from Oxlade-Chamberlain and Henderson, meant Liverpool had taken 100 points from the last 102 available.17: Norwich 0 Liverpool 1, February 15Sadio Mane, right, scores the winner at Norwich (Adam Davy/PA)Mane stepped off the bench to keep the run going.18: Liverpool 3 West Ham 2, February 24Liverpool achieved the record the hard way, squandering an early lead given to them by Wijnaldum as Issa Diop and Pablo Fornals scored for the Hammers. Salahs fortuitous equaliser and Manes winner ensured a share of Premier League history.PlayersVirgil Van Dijk, right, has played every minute of the run while Mohamed Salah is Liverpools leading scorer (Anthony Devlin/PA)Liverpool have used 23 different players during their winning run, with four of those appearing in every game.Van Dijk has played every minute while fellow defenders Alexander-Arnold and Robertson and striker Firmino have each made 17 starts and one appearance off the bench.The same was true of captain Henderson until he missed the West Ham clash with injury, while Alisson and Wijnaldum have missed just one game apiece and Salah and Joe Gomez two. The latter began the run as a regular substitute, with his elevation to the starting line-up coinciding with the run of clean sheets.Salah is the leading goalscorer with 11 goals, with Mane contributing eight and Firmino five, while there have been 14 different goalscorers in all.11 - Mohamed Salah8 - Sadio Mane5 - Roberto Firmino3 - Jordan Henderson, Virgil Van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain2 - Divock Origi, Georginio Wijnaldum1 - Andy Robertson, Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri, Naby Keita, James Milner, Trent Alexander-ArnoldOf the eight players who have not scored, Alisson and Adrian are goalkeepers while Takumi Minamino and Curtis Jones have just two substitute appearances each and Harvey Elliott and Joel Matip one defender Matip was a stoppage-time substitute against West Ham and thus the last player to feature in the run.That leaves Gomez, fellow centre-back Dejan Lovren and midfielder Adam Lallana as the only outfield players to start a game during the run without scoring.Liverpools 43 goals have included three penalties Salah against Tottenham and West Ham and Milner against Leicester and no opposition own goals, while they have conceded only 10.(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
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