Goalkeeper Alisson Becker fought back tears as he was the unlikely goalscoring hero for Liverpool in a 2-1 Premier League victory at West Bromwich Albion, that keeps alive their Champions League qualification hopes.
With the scores level and the visitors on the brink of dropping vital points, Alisson headed home from a corner in the fifth minute of stoppage time, the maiden goal of his career and the first-ever by a Liverpool keeper in the club's history.
"I just tried to run into a good place and to be in a good position to help my teammates by bringing a defender with me. But nobody followed me and I was lucky and blessed to score," Alisson told SkySports.
He added it was only a late decision by goalkeeping coach John Achterberg that meant he went up for the corner.
"I looked at the bench but nobody called me, and then Johnny Achterberg called me up with conviction. The cross was brilliant and I just tried to put my head on the ball," Alisson said.
"I think it was one of the best goals I saw! You cannot explain these things, this is football."
The Brazilian usually only practices defensive headers in training, but was delighted to be given a chance at the other end of the pitch.
"Sometimes in the training, you are just waiting and you are trying to have some fun. I don't train to do that in the game. But I have at least a sense of how to head the ball because I do that a lot in the games to help defensively," he said.
Alisson has endured a difficult time this season due to injury and lost his father Jose, in a tragic drowning incident in February.
"I am too emotional. These last months, for everything that happened with me and my family. But football is my life. I played since I remember with my father. I hope he was here to see it and I'm sure he is celebrating with God by his side," he said.
Liverpool have moved to within a point of fourth-placed Chelsea, and three behind Leicester City with those two sides to meet on Wednesday.
Kane helps Spurs tame Wolves
Tottenham Hotspur's England striker Harry Kane scored his 22nd Premier League goal of the season to help his side to a 2-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, which boosted their bid to secure European football for next season.
After Kane's late first-half strike, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg grabbed Spurs' second just past the hour to seal a victory, which lifted Ryan Mason's team to sixth in the standings.
The performance was a vast improvement from Tottenham's defeat at Leeds United last week, including a promising afternoon from Dele Alli who showcased his attacking skills and tricks as well as getting stuck in with defensive duties.
"We are not happy with where we are, we should be higher and we only have ourselves to blame," Alli told Sky Sports.
"We are showing now what we can do but it is a bit too late. We just have to keep working hard and take it into the next season as well."
Spurs are in sixth place with 59 points, five adrift of London rivals Chelsea in fourth and four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, who beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 away, with two matches left.
Wolves remain in 12th spot.
Kane, the league's leading scorer, struck on the stroke of halftime, shortly after seeing Conor Coady block his header on the goal-line with the England defender then also clearing a goalbound follow-up shot from Giovani Lo Celso.
Hojbjerg spotted Kane with space in behind and played in the England captain who took the ball into the area and showed composure to hold off Coady and deliver a cool finish past a diving Rui Patricio.
Spurs should have had a second shortly after the break when Alli fed the ball in to Kane, but the striker's low shot was tipped onto the right-hand post by Patricio. The ball came back out to Alli who tried to place it but hit the other post.
The hosts finally doubled their lead when a low drive from Gareth Bale was parried into the path of Denmark midfielder Hojbjerg, who ran into the six-yard box to tap the ball home.
Tottenham managed 24 shots, while Wolves rarely threatened as the pacey Adama Traore's crosses often found empty space, with the visitors clearly still missing the presence of injured striker Raul Jimenez.
"Large parts of the game we played well and were organised, good possession. A couple of mistakes. But a tough game. We have to analyse but I'm disappointed with the manner we conceded, too easy," Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo said.
Although Spurs would need a sensational set of results to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League, sixth place should be enough to make the Europa League next season following Leicester City's FA Cup win.
Palace strike late to sink Villa 3-2 in thrilling clash
Crystal Palace struck twice in the second half through forward Wilfried Zaha and left-back Tyrick Mitchell to secure a 3-2 win over Aston Villa in an entertaining mid-table Premier League match at Selhurst Park.
Defender Mitchell bundled home his first Palace goal in the 84th minute from Eberechi Eze's mis-hit shot to make it 3-2 after Zaha charged towards the Villa box and blasted an effort that flew in off Ahmed El Mohamady with 15 minutes left.
Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi had made it 2-1 to the visitors in the first half after skipper John McGinn's side-footed opener was cancelled out by Christian Benteke's header - the Belgian's third goal in as many league games.
The result denied Villa a first league double over Palace since the 1980-81 season, when the Birmingham-based side won the top-flight title.
"It's a dream come true," Mitchell told Sky Sports. "I was just gambling. I tried to go back post for the first cross and then when it went back out I thought I'd stay around. I just tried to be in the right place.
"I knew it hit my shoulder, for a second I was a bit scared [it would be disallowed]. It's been an amazing season... and I'm buzzing. I didn't think I would feature this much and I'm just thankful to the manager.
"I've learnt a lot, how hard it is in the Premier League week in, week out but I feel I've got a lot more confident."
McGinn said Villa needed to be more "street-wise" and defend better after allowing Palace to seal a come-from-behind win.
"We had control of the game and scored two good goals. We needed to build on that but the second half wasn't the standards we have set this season so we need to look at it."
Roy Hodgson's Palace sits 13th with 44 points, two places behind Villa who have 49. Palace host Arsenal on Thursday, while Villa travel to Tottenham Hotspur.
Teenager seals Sheff Utd win at Everton
Sheffield United striker Daniel Jebbison became the youngest player to score in his first Premier League start, as his early strike condemned Everton to a 1-0 defeat that could wreck their European hopes.
Canadian-born Jebbison, aged 17 and 309 days, pounced in the seventh minute at a rainy Goodison Park, converting a low cross to give his already-relegated side the lead.
Everton's woeful home form continued as Sheffield United keeper Aaron Ramsdale made several excellent saves in the first half, but was relatively untroubled after the break.
Everton's ninth home defeat left them in eighth spot with two games remaining. They have 56 points, three behind West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
"We played so bad. The only result that could be possible is a defeat," manager Carlo Ancelotti said in response to Everton matching an unwanted club record of nine home defeats in a league campaign.
"As we usually did at home most of the time, we lost. I have to take responsibility for this but I hope the players do too."
Jebbison, an England under-18 international, could even have added to his tally as bottom club Sheffield United deservedly sealed only their second away win of the season.
It has been a miserable campaign for Sheffield United, but Jebbison offered a ray of sunshine as he seized his chance with an accomplished performance.
Jebbison, who began this season five divisions lower with Chorley in the National League, slid in to convert Jack Robinson's low cross.
Everton were stung into action and Ramsdale made a superb low save to keep out Allan's skidding effort.
Jebbison could have doubled his tally when he anticipated a short backpass by Mason Holgate, but saw his chipped effort saved by Everton keeper Jordan Pickford.
Ramsdale then produced a stunning double save to first keep out Richarlison's' header before reacting brilliantly to keep out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's follow-up.
Everton ran out of ideas in the second half and Ramsdale's save from Richarlison's angled drive was a rare dangerous moment.
Carlo Ancelotti's team now share the record for the most home defeats for Everton in a season. They also lost nine at home in 1912-13, 1947-48, 1950-51 and 1993-94.
Everton have picked up six points at home in 2021 with only Fulham (four) managing fewer.
Reuters
