Liverpool go top as Nunez strikes, Hojlund caps Man United fightback

Liverpool鈥檚 Darwin Nunez celebrates scoring their first goal with Mohamed Salah during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Burnley on Tuesday. (Reuters)
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  • Nunez鈥檚 eighth goal this season was his first for 12 games since he netted against Bournemouth in the League Cup on Nov. 1
  • Hojlund鈥檚 cathartic strike ended United鈥檚 four-match winless run in all competitions

LONDON: Liverpool climbed to the top of the Premier League as Darwin Nunez ended his goal drought to inspire a 2-0 win against Burnley, while Rasmus Hojlund broke his own barren run to cap Manchester United鈥檚 thrilling fightback to beat Aston Villa 3-2 on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp鈥檚 Liverpool took an early lead through Nunez at Turf Moor and held on despite wasting a host of chances.

Nunez鈥檚 eighth goal this season was his first for 12 games since he netted against Bournemouth in the League Cup on Nov. 1.

Diogo Jota, back from a month鈥檚 injury absence, wrapped up the victory late on to leave Liverpool two points above second placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand.

Arsenal can regain top spot with a victory at home to West Ham on Thursday.

After successive draws with Manchester United and Arsenal prior to Christmas, this was an essential victory for Liverpool鈥檚 title ambitions.

On Liverpool being in pole position, Klopp said: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 nice. It will probably change and that鈥檚 no problem. It was not perfect but we are where we are.鈥�

At Old Trafford, United were in danger of another damaging defeat when goals from John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker put Villa in control by halftime at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag鈥檚 team were booed off at the interval but they staged a much-needed revival, sparked by Alejandro Garnacho scoring their first goal in seven hours and 20 minutes.

Garnacho struck again to equalize before Hojlund finally scored his first Premier League goal, in his 15th appearance, with eight minutes left.

Hojlund鈥檚 cathartic strike ended United鈥檚 four-match winless run in all competitions and lifted them to sixth in the Premier League.

鈥淎t halftime I said to the team, 鈥榢eep believing鈥�. The atmosphere changed a lot from the first half to the second. If we play our best we can beat anyone,鈥� Ten Hag said.

United鈥檚 victory came in front of INEOS director of sport Dave Brailsford, who was in the directors box in the first sign of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe鈥檚 involvement after buying a 25 percent stake on Christmas Eve.

Two games without a win have dented Villa鈥檚 unexpected title challenge.

Unai Emery鈥檚 men remain third, three points behind Liverpool after their first defeat in 11 matches in all competitions.

Chris Wood鈥檚 hat trick against his old club Newcastle gave Nuno Espirito Santo his first victory as Nottingham Forest boss, a 3-1 success at St. James鈥� Park.

Wood left Newcastle to join Forest in June, but had scored only four times for his new club.

Alexander Isak鈥檚 first half penalty put Newcastle ahead before New Zealand striker Wood equalized late in the first half.

Wood struck twice more in the second half to hand former Tottenham manager Nuno his maiden victory with Forest in his second game in charge after replacing the sacked Steve Cooper.

It was Forest鈥檚 first win in eight games and only their second success in their last 15 matches.

Luton boss Rob Edwards said South Yorkshire Police are investigating an alleged racist comment toward Carlton Morris in his side鈥檚 3-2 win at fellow strugglers Sheffield United.

Morris complained of a comment made from a United fan late in the second half, which left him 鈥減retty angry,鈥� and the police have spoken to him.

鈥淭here was an alleged racist comment, the police are dealing with that, they have spoken to Carlton and got his take on it,鈥� Edwards said.

Fulham boss Marco Silva insisted his goalkeeper Bernd Leno 鈥渢ouched鈥� but 鈥渄idn鈥檛 push鈥� a ball boy during the Cottagers鈥� 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth.

The second-half incident occurred when Leno went to collect the ball from the youngster鈥檚 outstretched hand before using his own hand to make deliberate contact with the shoulder of the boy, who appeared to take a step back for balance.

鈥淗ave you seen him pushing? I didn鈥檛 see this. Yes, he apologized. I spoke with Bernd about it,鈥� Silva said.