Salah's controversial penalty fires Liverpool nine points clear

Mohamed Salah's controversial penalty put Liverpool on course for a 2-0 win at Bournemouth as the Premier League leaders moved nine points clear on Saturday.

Arne Slot's side took the lead in the first half when Salah netted with a penalty awarded after Cody Gakpo appeared to trip over his own feet rather than go down from Lewis Cook's challenge.

Bournemouth were left outraged after referee Darren England's on-field decision was upheld by VAR.

"The referee's call of penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge deemed to have been a trip by Cook on Gakpo. The VAR also confirmed Gakpo was onside in the build-up," the Premier League said in a statement.

Salah added insult to injury for Bournemouth when he struck again late in the second half to extend Liverpool's lead over second-placed Arsenal.

The Egypt forward has 21 goals from 23 league games this season, reaching the 20-mark for the fifth time in his English top-flight career.

Salah has 178 career Premier League goals, moving him one ahead of Frank Lampard into sixth place in the competition's all-time scoring chart.

Liverpool are unbeaten in 19 league games, winning 17 of their 23 top-flight matches in a remarkable run since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the close-season.

Persuing an English record-equalling 20th title and their first in the competition since 2020, Liverpool can sit back and wait to see if old rivals Manchester City can do them a favour when they face Arsenal on Sunday.

On Thursday, quadruple-chasing Liverpool will try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Tottenham in the League Cup semi-final at Anfield.

Slot's only concern was an injury that forced off England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold in the second half.

Bournemouth had enjoyed home wins over Manchester City and Arsenal this season, while third-placed Nottingham Forest were thrashed 5-0 on the south-coast last week.

But their 11-match unbeaten run in the league came to an end against a relentless Liverpool side that look destined to end the season with the Premier League crown in the Anfield trophy cabinet.

Bournemouth nearly made the perfect start after just 12 seconds when Trent Alexander-Arnold lost possession to Antoine Semenyo, whose strike forced a good save from Alisson Becker.

Not for the first time in his career, Alexander-Arnold's defensive deficiencies were on display as his poor clearance let in Justin Kluivert before Alisson's save spared his team-mate's blushes.

Semenyo turned away from two Liverpool defender before rattling the woodwork with a stinging drive.

But Liverpool were capable of carving through the Bournemouth defence at will, with Kepa Arrizabalaga keeping out Dominik Szoboszlai's effort.

The Reds were too precise and electric in attack for Bournemouth to hold them at bay and the opener finally arrived in dubious fashion in the 30th minute.

Cook was trailing behind Gakpo as the Dutchman ran through on goal, but he made no contact before the penalty was awarded.

Salah ignored the fuss as he stepped up to smash the spot-kick into the corner.

Rubbing salt into Bournemouth's wounds, David Brooks had an instant equaliser ruled out for offside by VAR.

Liverpool had to ride their luck at times and Alisson denied Semenyo, alertly racing off his line to save at the Ghana winger's feet.

Alexander-Arnold escaped a VAR check for handball, while Alexis Mac Allister avoided a second yellow card following his foul on Brooks.

When Marcus Tavernier's long-range curler cannoned back off the post, Kluivert looked certain to score but he blazed the rebound wide.

Salah made Bournemouth pay for their profligacy in the 75th minute.

Curtis Jones' pass sent Salah racing the area and he guided a fine finish past Kepa in typically predatory style.

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The General Service  Unit defeated  the Kenya Prisons 15 -13  in a tie  breaker after each cancelling each other after 4 sets during regulation in an exciting  match played at the Nyayo Gymnasium basketball  court  this afternoon. 

The famed Idara derby was a thriller as each team looked to be just as good as the other. 

The first set saw GSU edge the Prisons 25-19, but the relentless Prisons rallied back to take the second and third sets; 25 -20 and 25-24 respectively. 

The back and forth continued well into the fourth but it was GSU who proved dominant, defeating the Prisons by 14 in their 25-11 route of their fellow servicemen.

The electric atmosphere at the packed Gymnasium was treated to a spectacle and with both teams each having won 2 of the four sets played, the tie breaker proved to be more than just a set.

The intensity levelled up in the second half of the tie breaker, as the teams went back and forth. 

Tied 13 -13 with the game on the line, it would take individual errors by the Magereza unit to hand the General Unit a huge win. 

Although  happy  for his team's  fight to get the dub, GSU coach Gideon Tarus promised  even a better  showing by his side when they next play especially  the Prisons side, acknowledging  that they  have been down for the better part of the year but promises  that such a game motivates   them to be better  as they  gear towards  lifting  the league  title.

"Since the start of this year, we have not met Prisons so it was the first time meeting them and I promise the next match I (we) will play better than today, " he said.

Captain  Jairus  Jepkemoi of Kenya Prisons  admitted  his side could  have done better  to win the game but is optimistic that they'll  come out even stronger for their next matches  as they look forward  to the playoffs.