LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Philippe Coutinho scored in the 78th minute to help Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 Sunday and become the favorite to win the Premier league on a day of remembrance for English soccer.
The Brazilian playmaker pounced on Vincent Kompany’s poor clearance to curl home the winner.
Liverpool is on course for its first championship since 1990. It is seven points ahead of third-placed City, which has two games in hand.
Liverpool struck early with goals by Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel in the opening 26 minutes. City rallied in the second half, with David Silva scoring in the 57th and Glen Johnson’s own-goal five minutes later.
Before the game, Liverpool fans held up a mosaic spelling out “96 25 years” during a minute’s silence to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster. In 1989, 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal.
