Liverpool came from behind to beat Tottenham 2-1 on Sunday and restore their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Manchester United finally remembered how to win on the road.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Arsenal squandered a 2-0 lead at home to Crystal Palace to draw 2-2 while 10-man Newcastle held on to draw 1-1 with Wolves.
Liverpool saw their commanding eight-point lead cut to six after their draw at Old Trafford last week and Manchester City cranked up the pressure on Saturday by beating Aston Villa 3-0.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were put under further pressure after Spurs made a stunning start at Anfield, snatching the lead inside the opening minute.
Son Heung-min burst forward and tried his luck from the edge of the area. His shot took a deflection and rebounded off the bar to Harry Kane, who calmly headed in, silencing the home crowd.
Liverpool piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser but goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga kept the marauding attackers at bay despite incessant pressure.
Liverpool finally claimed an equaliser in the 52nd minute.
Fabinho clipped the ball into the area looking for Roberto Firmino but it ran through to Jordan Henderson at the far post and the captain finished coolly, shooting across goal from close range.
Liverpool went ahead in the 75th minute after referee Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty for a foul by Serge Aurier on Sadio Mane.
Salah fired into the bottom corner from the spot — the 50th Anfield goal of his Liverpool career — and Tottenham could not find an equaliser, with defeat leaving the Champions League finalists languishing in 11th spot in the Premier League.
Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson, speaking to Sky Sports, said: “After 48 seconds I was thinking it was my fault because I gave the ball away for their goal. Thankfully I managed to get a goal to make up for it.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United swept Norwich aside 3-1 at Carrow Road to record their first away win in the Premier League since February despite failing to convert two penalties.
Scott McTominay gave United the lead midway thought the first half and Rashford made it 2-0 on the half-hour after failing to score from the penalty spot.
Anthony Martial also saw a spot kick saved by Tim Krul on the stroke of half-time but he also atoned, making it 3-0 in the 73rd minute before Norwich grabbed a late consolation goal.
“We needed a performance today,” said McTominay. “We should have beaten Liverpool last week. We’ve put in a 90-minute performance. When we’re on it, we’re on it. Hopefully we can get some winning momentum.”
Arsenal problems
Unai Emery’s problems mounted as Arsenal blew a two-goal lead amid VAR controversy and captain Granit Xhaka feuded with fans the draw against Palace.
Arsenal struck twice in the first 10 minutes to take a 2-0 lead, with centre-backs Sokratis Papastathopoulos and David Luiz finding the net.
But Luka Milivojevic started the Arsenal collapse when he converted a penalty awarded by VAR after Wilfried Zaha was initially booked for diving.
Emery’s team faded in familiar fashion after that and Jordan Ayew bagged Palace’s deserved equaliser before Arsenal had a late Sokratis winner disallowed by VAR.
Xhaka’s remarkable bust-up with the crowd laid bare the simmering tensions.
When Xhaka was replaced by Bukayo Saka, the disliked Swiss midfielder trudged slowly to the touchline while petulantly gesticulating to the fans who had cheered his substitution and were now angrily urging him to get off the pitch quicker.
Wolves battled back from a below-par first-half display to draw 1-1 against Newcastle thanks to Jonny’s leveller at St James’ Park.
Hosts Newcastle took the lead in the 37th minute through captain Jamaal Lascelles but the visitors scored a deserved equaliser in the 73rd minute when goalkeeper Martin Dubravka could only paw a cross from the right into the path of Jonny, who lashed home.
Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff was shown a straight red card with eight minutes to go after flying into Ruben Neves.