Liverpool edge thrilling City contest

Liverpool FC remain in pole position to capture the Premier League title after edging third-placed Manchester City FC 3-2 in a pulsating match.

A minute's silence was observed at Anfield – and prior to every top-flight fixture this weekend – in order to mark the Hillsborough disaster, which occurred 25 years ago on Tuesday.

The contest was just six minutes old when Luis Suárez outmuscled Gaël Clichy and released Raheem Sterling, who caressed the ball into an empty net after side-stepping Vincent Kompany and Joe Hart. The visitors were wobbling and fell further behind as Martin Škrtel glanced in Steven Gerrard's corner.

The pendulum then swung in City's favour after the break, David Silva deflecting James Milner's cutback beyond Simon Mignolet. The Spanish schemer then provoked the equaliser with a cross that Glen Johnson put through his own net.

More drama was to come 12 minutes from time, though, as a clearance by Kompany fell to Coutinho, who found the corner with precision. The only blotch on Liverpool's day came when Jordan Henderson was sent off for a tackle on Samir Nasri in added time.

Second-placed Chelsea FC responded by beating ten-man Swansea City AFC 1-0. Demba Ba's 68th-minute winner helped the Blues close back within two points of Liverpool ahead of the sides' Anfield showdown in two weeks' time.

FA Cup
Hull City AFC twice came from behind to defeat third-tier Sheffield United FC 5-3 and reach the FA Cup final, where they will play Arsenal FC on 17 May. Yannick Sagbo Latte and Matthew Fryatt responded in turn to goals from Jose Baxter and Stefan Scougall, before Tom Huddlestone and Stephen Quinn put the Premier League team on top. Jamie Murphy struck for Sheffield United in the final minute, but Hull's David Meyler enjoyed the final word.