Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted the club’s stance would not waver on Mohamed Salah, despite speculation of a potential world-record bid for the forward arriving this week.

The club rejected a £150million deal for the 31-year-old from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad on Friday and said at the time, they considered the matter closed.

That has not prevented suggestions the Pro League champions are prepared to return with a bid of around £200m but Klopp said even though the Saudi transfer window remained open until Thursday, the position of owners Fenway Sports Group would not change.

“I didn’t realise a little bit of a distraction in the whole week, besides answering questions about it – not from people inside (the club) but people outside,” said Klopp after his side’s 3-0 victory over Aston Villa in which Salah scored the third after Dominik Szoboszlai’s first goal for the club was followed by Matty Cash putting through his own net.

“I have no clue, nobody came to me and told me something could happen or whatever. I’m pretty sure I would have got a call but I didn’t.

“And Mo didn’t look for a second like he thought about anything else other than about Aston Villa, being involved in all the goals.

“He has unbelievable numbers but it’s not a surprise that he has the numbers. And he had chances on top of that and (is) involved in creating and setting up and all these kind of things.

“He’s a world-class player, no doubt about that and I’m really pleased he is in my team.”

Szoboszlai said in a post-match television interview to that Salah wanted to stay.

“You know it is football, everyone is talking. We are really happy that he has stayed,” said the Hungary captain.

“We are of course speaking between each other but he wants to stay, he wants to be here and be with us. We are really happy – we need people in the team like him.”

Klopp was asked whether Salah had conveyed that message to him.

“No. He didn’t tell me, but he didn’t have to. He speaks with his training and performances and behaviour,” he added, after admitting the only downside to the afternoon was a hamstring injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold which was likely to rule him out of England duty in the coming international break.

“We had meetings this week and the meetings were not about what we did in the past, it was about what we will do in the future.

“Mo was with the players’ (leadership) committee and had his moments where he was talking and it was nothing like ‘By the way, this is only until next week’ or whatever.

“He is completely here and if Dom said that, fine. Mo doesn’t have to come into my office and tell me ‘By the way, boss… (I’m not going)’.

“For me it wasn’t a subject for one second, to be honest, besides the questions (from the media).”

Villa were never really in the game after Cash’s 22nd-minute own goal, and head coach Unai Emery admitted – after conceding three in the last half-hour at Newcastle on the opening weekend – he was conscious of getting torn apart at Anfield.

“It is difficult to win here and first half was the key. We had chances, we were not clinical and 2-0 was not really the result we deserved for the first half,” he said.

“Second half we stuck to our gameplan and they scored the third goal and it was match finished.

“We tried to be focused because here, like in Newcastle, we lost the last 30 minutes and we didn’t want it today. I can’t accept to let them have more goals.”

The Prix de l’Abbaye is likely to be the next stop for Go Athletico as connections target optimum conditions for their sprinting star at ParisLongchamp.

The five-year-old is yet to finish outside of the first two in three starts for Adrian McGuinness, claiming Listed honours on stable debut at Cork before finishing second in two high-class Curragh sprint events most recently.

Go Athletico does have the option of returning to the Kildare venue for the Group One Flying Five Stakes during the Irish Champions Festival, but it would be somewhat fitting if he were to head to France in search of big-race success on October 1 having raced 26 times there, winning on six occasions, before transferring to Ireland for €165,000 in the spring.

“We have him in the Flying Five but I don’t think the ground will come up soft enough for him,” said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor, who own the horse in partnership with Shamrock Thoroughbreds.

“He’s a very honest horse and he’s going to try every time, but he can’t go unless there is some moisture in the ground and it was just against him last time.

“I don’t think you will see him again until the Abbaye. That’s where we are pointing and depending on what kind of draw he gets and how the ground turns up, he has a tremendous turn of foot and under the right circumstances he can run with the top horses.

“I think five or five and a half furlongs is what he is made for really.”

Roy Hodgson is confident Odsonne Edouard can provide the goal threat Crystal Palace need this season after the French striker scored twice in his side’s 3-2 win over Wolves.

Palace only added goalkeeper Dean Henderson and defender Rob Holding on transfer deadline day, but Hodgson indicated he was happy with the strikers at his disposal after Jean-Phillipe Meteta set up goals for Eberechi Eze and Edouard following his introduction from the bench.

Edouard, who signed from Celtic for £14million two years ago, has endured a stop-start career at Selhurst Park but with four goals in five league and cup games already this season, Hodgson said the 25-year-old is now ready to take the next step and become a force in the Premier League.

“He was very good today throughout,” Hodgson said.

“He came here from Celtic where he was so highly-regarded and scored I don’t know how many goals and was a big, big star.

“When we first came back to the club he had not established himself as much as he would have liked.

“He did get that position as a centre-forward when we came in and he has got better and better, knowing how we want to try and play.

“He hadn’t lost the technique, talent, the skill or the things that made him so big at Celtic. I spoke to Brendan Rodgers not so long ago and he was glowing in his praise about him.”

Mateta teed up Edouard for his second goal with a perfect back-heeled pass and Hodgson said the big forward, who wanted to leave in the window, is an integral part of his squad.

“That is why we kept him,” Hodgson said.

“If I was to let every player who is not in the first 11 go, that is all we would have if we had a few injuries.

“You try to look after players as best you can, but if the 11 are playing very well, maybe there is not a space for them.”

All five goals at Selhurst Park came in the second half with Wolves equalising Edouard’s 56th-minute strike when Hwang Hee-Chan diverted the impressive Pedro Neto’s delivery past Sam Johnstone.

Neto also set up Matheus Cuhna for a stoppage-time consolation goal – after Eze and Edouard had made it 3-1 to Palace – and Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said although his side looked toothless in attack they deserved to get something from the game.

“It was not one I thought we were going to lose, for the majority of the game I thought we had decent control of it,” O’Neil said.

“Most of their chances came from us turning the ball over in areas where we shouldn’t. They were threatening from those situations but I thought when both teams were in shape we looked the better side.

“We lacked a bit of punch. We had 60 final-third entries, which is a lot for an away game, and more than Palace, but we didn’t really threaten their goal enough.”

Twilight Jet turned on the afterburners to fly home and secure Irish Stallion Farms EBF Abergwaun Stakes honours at Tipperary.

Michael O’Callaghan’s four-year-old has always been held in high-regard and had previously struck twice at Group Three level.

However, he has been out of luck in two starts this season as connections have strived to get the colt back to his very best and he was dropped to the minimum distance and Listed level when sent off the 15-8 favourite on Sunday.

Victory looked out of range with a furlong to run as Kieran Cotter’s Dun Na Sead blazed a trail on the front end.

But Twilight Jet found top gear when it mattered most to surge his way to a neck victory over stablemate Lokada, who also did her best work late in the day from a position at the rear of the field.

“It was great, I’m delighted to get Twilight Jet’s head back in front because he hadn’t the most straightforward path to this as he had two surgeries over the winter,” said O’Callaghan.

“He had one for colic and had to have another surgery having slipped, so it has been a long time coming back.

“Last year he blitzed them in the Lacken (Stakes) but went to Royal Ascot and was sick for quite a while. This year was about getting him back slowly, race to race.

“He’ll go for something like the World Trophy (at Newbury) or I might step him up to six (furlongs) but there are a few options for him in the UK. Leigh (Roche, jockey) couldn’t pull him up today and a stiff five or stepping back up to six will suit.”

On the runner up, he added: “Lokada had a lot of headgear on her to try to get her to relax – we have been tricking around with her and always thought she had the ability to get black type.

“They went so hard in front that Colin (Keane, Jockey) was able to get cover to help her relax and she came home well. Today was huge for her and she might be able to win one of these now.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles (13-2) kicked the card off in style with an impressive debut performance in the Camas Park Stud Irish EBF Maiden.

The son of Camelot was an ever-lengthening two-and-a-quarter-length victor and having been handed quotes of 33-1 by Paddy Power for next year’s Derby, he is set for a rise in grade for his next start.

Ballydoyle stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He is a lovely horse and will come on an awful lot. It was a lovely introduction to bring him here and he will be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year.

“He’ll improve a ton for the run and something like the Beresford or the Criterium de Saint-Cloud could be next, but he is a horse to look forward to next year.

“Seamus (Heffernan, jockey) gave him a lovely introduction and what he does at two will be a bonus. It’s grand to get him out now and see where he fits into the pecking order.”

Also making a taking debut was Jessica Harrington’s Sea The Boss (5-1), who pulled well clear of 15-8 favourite Quickstepping in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden to book her ticket to the valuable series finale later in the autumn.

Harrington said: “We have always liked her, we liked her in the spring and she grew a lot. She is a fine looker and is only a frame filly, so is next year’s model.

“We’ll see what we do and there is the final of this series at Naas (on October 15) for her.”

In an afternoon where debutants came to the fore, Caracal made the perfect stable bow for Joseph O’Brien in the Meadowview Stables Race.

The Al Shaqab Racing-owned gelding made three starts for Jean-Claude Rouget in France before switching to the Owning Hill handler and having successfully returned from over 500 days off the track, could now be set sterner tests moving forwards.

O’Brien said: “It’s great to get our first winner for Al Shaqab (Racing) – we haven’t had many runners for them and it’s great to get the first win.

“He had been working smartly at home but had been off the track for a long time, so today was very much about getting him started. I thought it was a good performance against some good, solid horses.

“He obviously had a hold-up in France, was off the track for an extended period of time with an injury and we have had him for the last few months. We’ve liked him since he arrived, he will head for stakes level and is a nice horse going forward.

“He was a little keen and fresh in the race, I think he’ll stay further and there is a Listed race in Cork over a mile which he could potentially go to, but we’ll see how he pulls up first.”

Managerless Hibernian finally brought some cheer to the Easter Road faithful as they put a jaded-looking Aberdeen side to the sword and lifted themselves off the bottom of the cinch Premiership.

With both sides involved in European action on Thursday night, it was perhaps predictable that substitutes would make a difference with Hibs scorers, Adam Le Fondre and Christian Doidge, both coming off the bench to earn a 2-0 win.

That was the Edinburgh club’s first league victory of the season and saw them climb above both St Johnstone and Aberdeen in the table.

Winless Aberdeen set out positively and after just two minutes they passed up a golden opportunity as Jamie McGrath’s cross from the left was headed over by Nicky Devlin from close range.

But the visitors, who sacked Lee Johnson after losing their opening three league matches, grew into the game and were unlucky not to go ahead when Will Fish, on loan from Manchester United, rose highest to meet Joe Newell’s free-kick from the right, but he headed over the bar.

McGrath was again involved when Aberdeen threatened again on the half-hour, this time his cross seeking out Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes at the back post, but he was crowded out by the Hibs defence.

It was the home side who were left to breathe a sigh of relief five minutes later, Elie Youan’s strong run down the left creating an opening for Martin Boyle, but this time it was the Aberdeen defence who rallied to block his effort.

And the Dons created a final first-half effort, as Connor Barron crossed for Bojan Miovski, but Josh Campbell was well-placed to block.

The second half continued in similar fashion, with both sides looking vulnerable at the back.

Newell flashed a shot wide for Hibs, while at the other end Miovski headed over from a Devlin cross.

The Dons thought they had won a penalty after 56 minutes when Duk fell under the challenge of Lewis Miller, but after a lengthy VAR check, no spot-kick was given.

And they were denied an opener just after the hour, when David Marshall produced a stunning save at full stretch to keep out substitute Ester Sokler’s effort, the goalkeeper seeming to be in slow motion as he threw himself across his goal.

That save proved to be even more crucial as Hibs took the lead with 15 minutes remaining, with two substitutes involved.

Doidge swung in a cross which Newell knocked down for Le Fondre, and the veteran striker curled past a helpless Kelle Roos.

And five minutes later, Doidge added a second for the visitors, heading home from close range after his initial header from a corner had come off the crossbar.

A well-worked goal from Callum Slattery earned 10-man Motherwell a 1-0 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle as the visitors joined Celtic on 10 points at the top of the cinch Premiership.

Slattery finished off a brilliant move in the 29th minute before the VAR officials reversed an offside decision against him.

Hearts pinned Motherwell back for the vast majority of the second half but could not find an equaliser despite Paul McGinn’s 69th-minute red card.

The home side rarely tested Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly, partly thanks to an outstanding performance from visiting centre-back Bevis Mugabi.

Motherwell have now gone 10 league games unbeaten stretching back to last season and added Tynecastle to the list of away grounds where they have got results from – they remain unbeaten in  the Premiership on the road in more than six months under Stuart Kettlewell.

Hearts made three changes following their 4-0 defeat by PAOK in Greece on Thursday while Harry Paton replaced Joe Efford in the Motherwell team after netting a late winner against Kilmarnock.

Both sides showed an attacking intent from the off but it was Motherwell who were making the opposition goalkeeper work.

Zander Clark tipped over efforts from Mugabi and Blair Spittal before the visitors took the lead.

Slattery and Spittal cut Hearts open as they exchanged passes following Stephen O’Donnell’s diagonal ball and the former Southampton midfielder slotted the ball home in yards of space.

Slattery almost scored an even better goal moments later after winning a tackle just inside his own half and launching a shot which beat Clark but just cleared the bar.

The frustration among the Hearts fans was audible in the aftermath of the goal and their mood might have grown worse only for Peter Haring to survive strong penalty claims for handball.

Alex Lowry had several first-half efforts for the hosts but his most dangerous effort was blocked by O’Donnell.

The on-loan Rangers player was taken off at half-time along with fellow wide player Yutaro Oda as Hearts moved to a back three to match Motherwell. Defender Tony Sibbick and striker Kyosuke Tagawa came on.

Kelly came out to stop Lawrence Shankland getting on the end of a through ball immediately after the restart and Spittal and Tagawa missed good chances at either end.

Hearts began to pin Motherwell back but the visiting defence diverted efforts from Shankland and Liam Boyce over the bar.

Any chance Motherwell had of changing the momentum disappeared in the 69th minute when McGinn hauled down Boyce after the striker got in front of him as he chased a long ball.

The former Hibernian player claimed he had his own shirt pulled but there was no recourse for overturning his second yellow card. He had been booked in the first half for a foul on Alex Cochrane.

Motherwell suffered more disruption when Slattery limped off.  Davor Zdravkovski came on and former Hibernian forward Oli Shaw soon joined him for his debut.

Kelly produced his first save in the 86th minute as Shankland’s effort bounced off the ground and Motherwell survived seven minutes of stoppage-time thanks to more resolute defending.

Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg won the Omega European Masters in just his ninth event as a professional to make a hugely compelling case for a Ryder Cup wild card.

Aberg, who only joined the paid ranks in June, carded a superb closing 64 at Crans-sur-Sierre to finish 19 under par, two shots ahead of compatriot Alexander Bjork.

Overnight leader Matt Fitzpatrick, who was bidding to join Seve Ballesteros as a three-time winner of the event, bogeyed three of the last four holes to slip into a tie for third with Scotland’s Connor Syme on 16 under.

That was still enough to replace Tommy Fleetwood in the final qualifying place on the World Points list, with Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre holding on to the last spot on the European Points list.

Europe captain Luke Donald will name his six wild cards on Monday and it would be a major surprise if Aberg was not selected along with Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry, with Sepp Straka, Adrian Meronk and Nicolai Hojgaard potentially battling it out for the two remaining spots.

“I don’t even know where to start, it’s a pretty surreal feeling to be honest, but obviously super, super happy,” the 23-year-old said.

“I figured a win would put me in a good position (for the Ryder Cup) but honestly I’ve been doing a pretty good job of not thinking about it too much.

“I feel like I get reminded of it a lot, but once I get on the golf course it’s just me and golf and luckily I was able to finish well today and win the tournament.

“It would mean the world obviously. I think as a young golfer growing up in Sweden and in Europe those are the events you want to be a part of and if I ever get the chance to be a part of that I’m going to be over the moon. It would be really cool.”

Aberg began the final round two shots behind Fitzpatrick and was three adrift when the former US Open champion carded his third birdie of the day on the 13th.

Fitzpatrick also birdied the 14th, but then bogeyed three of the next four holes as Aberg compiled four birdies in a row from the 14th to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

MacIntyre had earlier finished in a tie for 55th after making a double bogey on the 18th in a closing 70, but neither Meronk or Yannik Paul were able to produce the top-three finish they needed to overhaul the left-hander.

“I am so excited,” MacIntyre said. “It’s been a tough qualifying campaign, but I am pleased with the way I have dealt with the challenge and to have earned one of the six automatic spots.

“I’ve worked hard to play in the Ryder Cup, but now it’s important that we go on and win it.”

MacIntyre, who played alongside Donald in the Czech Masters and was paired with Meronk and Paul for the first two rounds in Switzerland, added: “The last two weeks have been hell.

“Pairings in the first two rounds, media hype – everything has just been tough.”

Clever And Cool swooped late to claim the Coolmore Stud No Nay Never Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary on Sunday.

Jim Bolger’s filly has a tendency of giving away plenty of ground at the start of her races and once again she was slowly away as Matilda Picotte was swiftly into stride and led the field along.

Kieran Cotter’s 1000 Guineas third was enjoying herself on the front end and had most of her rivals in trouble when still at the head of affairs a furlong from home.

However, the petrol gauge began to flash red in the closing stages and having crept into contention, Rory Cleary delivered a race-winning challenge aboard the 6-1 shot Clever And Cool to find the scoresheet for the third time this season.

Having struck impressively at Listed level two starts ago, the daughter of Vocalised has now added a Group Three to her CV and was handed a quote of 16-1 from 25s by Paddy Power if making a quick return to action in the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at Leopardstown next Saturday.

“She didn’t run a bad race in the Cambridgeshire at the Curragh the last day when only beaten five lengths, but she is her own worst enemy by dwelling coming out of the gates, despite the boss doing plenty of work with her,” said Ger Flynn, Bolger’s representative.

“On her last few runs she has been showing us what she is showing us at home and while she dwelt at the start again today, Rory said he was always confident she could get there and she went away and won well.

“That’s Listed and Group Three wins now and if she ever jumps, there’s a big one in her. You wouldn’t think she’s had four races in the last four weeks, her skin is like a seal. She is in the Matron on Saturday and the boss never shrugs a challenge – you have to be tough to be in Jim’s and she’s tough.”

Michael Beale went on the defensive after his Rangers side were booed at the end of their 1-0 defeat by Old Firm rivals Celtic at Ibrox.

The Light Blues controversially had a Kemar Roofe goal ruled out in the first half after a VAR check saw referee Don Robertson award a foul to Celtic for Cyriel Dessers’ challenge on defender Gustaf Lagerbielke in the build-up.

Kyogo Furuhashi’s late first-half strike proved to be a winner and took the Hoops four points clear of Rangers after four cinch Premiership games going into the international break.

Home supporters vented their frustration at manager Beale and the players at the final whistle.

Beale said: “I am speaking after a defeat. I don’t think everything at Rangers is broken and everything at Celtic is rosy after today’s game.

“Two teams played today, we made a huge mistake for a goal. We had chances to score and win that game and we didn’t.

“We have to dust ourselves down. We have two weeks now to work on the training pitch, it’s a good period for us barring the internationals who are away.

“And then we have to come back. I think we have five games in 15 days when we come back, so it’s a chance for us in that moment to show improvement.

“I understand the frustration with the fans. It is with the shirt. It is not just at Rangers, it is anywhere.

“It is a derby, a game where there is a lot of emotion involved and the fans expect their team to get a result and we didn’t.

“That’s par for the course. In terms of pressure, you are always under pressure in this job.

“You are only ever a couple of results not going your way to feel that. The most pressure is the one we put on ourselves and we have fallen short of that today because I expected and wanted us to get a result.

“Over the course of the 90 minutes I think the result is harsh on us but in terms of these games, they are only about the result.”

Beale was unhappy about Roofe’s goal being ruled out but equally unhappy about the goal his side conceded, when Furuhashi ran on to a Matt O’Riley header and rifled past goalkeeper Jack Butland.

He said: “The VAR decision I’m not sure about, I think Cyriel puts his foot down and the boy kicks him. I think he is a lucky boy.

“I am disappointed that goes against us. Having said that, there is a lot of football to be played afterwards.

“It’s a really poor goal, a goal that you cannot concede. It’s an isolated moment, we almost concede the goal ourselves.

“It’s a good finish from the lad but we shouldn’t concede a goal like that. In the second half we pushed, we chased the game, we had big moments to score.

“We could have created more but we certainly had big moments to score and we didn’t.

“It is a bitterly disappointing day, it’s not the result that anyone wanted. Obviously at this stage of the season it’s not where we want to be in terms of points difference either.”

England will need to chase 203 to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead in their four-match T20 series with New Zealand after Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips scored half-centuries at Edgbaston.

Southern Brave batter Allen smashed Adil Rashid for three consecutive maximums on his way to an excellent 83 and Phillips backed up the opener with 69 off 34 balls in the third T20 of the four-match series in Birmingham.

The duo put on 88 for the third wicket and it propelled New Zealand to 202 for five with Gus Atkinson the pick of England’s bowlers with two for 31, while Liam Livingstone was smashed for 55 from his four overs.

Jos Buttler made two changes from Friday’s comprehensive win with Brydon Carse and Sam Curran the duo to miss out, while Chris Jordan was given his first international outing of the summer.

Luke Wood had played in Wednesday’s series opener at the Riverside and earned a recall, but Allen was able to inflict more punishment on the quick with two classy drives for four in his opening over.

The breakthrough did arrive in Atkinson’s second over through smart fielding by Moeen Ali and poor New Zealand running.

Allen spliced over the inner ring of fielders and wanted three runs, but Moeen raced in from deep and produced a flat throw which was perfect for Buttler, who whipped off the bails to send Devon Conway back for nine.

Black Caps opener Allen responded by driving Jordan for the first maximum of the match, but number three Tim Seifert struggled with his timing and received a life on nine when his slog sweep off Liam Livingstone was put down by Will Jacks.

It was a short-lived reprieve with Liam Livingstone’s turning delivery in his next over beating Seifert’s outside edge and unbalancing him enough to be stumped by Buttler for 19.

Allen continued on his merry way and after he hit Rashid for six, Livingstone was dealt with in a similar fashion and this latest maximum for the New Zealand batter brought up his half-century off 35 deliveries.

Rashid had managed to tie up an end and only went for 23 from his first three overs, but Allen sent him out of the attack with a bang after three successive sixes in the 15th over.

The first maximum was hit high over deep extra cover and Allen showed his range with another through cow corner before a stand and deliver shot down the ground moved him up to 77.

A second T20 century appeared in sight for Allen but his fine innings ended when he attempted one more big shot and lost his off stump to Wood’s inswinging yorker to walk off for an excellent 83.

Black Caps number four Phillips had provided able support to Allen in a crucial 88-run partnership and upped the ante following the opener’s departure with Livingstone’s final over smashed for 22.

Phillips pulled the all-rounder for back-to-back maximums before the last ball of the 18th over was driven for another six, but Atkinson concluded his fun.

The Surrey quick returned at the end and produced an excellent 77 miles per hour slower ball to dismiss Phillips for 69 before he accounted for Daryl Mitchell caught behind to end with respectable figures of two for 31 from his allotted overs.

Jordan wrapped up the innings by conceding nine with New Zealand setting England 203 for a series-clinching victory in Birmingham.

Crystal Palace earned their second victory of the Premier League season with a 3-2 win over Wolves at Selhurst Park.

Two goals from Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze’s sublime finish saw off a stubborn Wolves side who had equalised through substitute Hwang Hee-Chan and saw Matheus Cunha net a late consolation.

In a match-up between two sides who had scored just four goals between them coming into the game, the first half was unsurprisingly a somewhat dour affair lit up in flashes by the enterprising Eze.

The England international thought he should have had a penalty early in the first half when he went down under a Joao Gomes challenge but VAR official Stuart Attwell deemed the contact was insufficient to award a spot-kick.

Almost immediately the visitors should have found themselves a goal down when Jose Sa’s poor pass was nicked off the toes of Craig Dawson by Jefferson Lerma who teed up Jordan Ayew, but Wolves skipper Max Kliman blocked his shot on the line.

A Pedro Neto effort that was tipped over by Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone just before half-time was the only shot of note from Gary O’Neil’s side before the break, but the game exploded into life after the restart with all five goals coming in the second half.

A superb run and cross from Tyrick Mitchell down the left wing picked out Edouard who snuck between two defenders to steer the ball past Sa and give Palace a 56th-minute lead.

But Wolves hit back in the 65th minute when Hee-Chan made an immediate impact shortly after his introduction from the bench when he made contact with Neto’s superb free-kick with his shoulder with the ball looping over Johnstone.

But Palace always looked the more likely to score with Eze becoming all the more influential and it was the former QPR man who made it 2-1 in the 77th minute with a superb touch and finish after Jean-Philippe Mateta diverted Joel Ward’s pass into his path.

Six minutes later Edouard wrapped up the win after Mateta’s back-heel fooled the Wolves defence with the former Celtic striker burying the ball past the helpless Sa.

Eze almost added a fourth for Palace with another jinking run into the box but Sa saved well to his left and palmed the ball wide of the post.

Wolves pulled a goal back in the sixth minute of time added on when Neto’s cross was met in the box by the head of Cunha but Palace held on for the win.

Mohamed Salah ignored the Saudi Arabian spotlight focused on him with a goal and an impressive all-round performance in Liverpool’s comfortable 3-0 Premier League rout of Aston Villa which showed his commitment and desire has not wavered.

A rejected £150million bid from Al-Ittihad on Friday merely sparked reports the Pro League champions would return with a world-record offer – with their transfer window open until Thursday – but while the speculation continues, the Egypt international got on with what he is good at.

This was his 188th goal in 308 appearances, 139th in 222 Premier League matches, his seventh in seven games against Villa and the 150th different game in which he had found the target.

His close-range poacher’s finish at a corner made the result safe but even with the game won inside an hour, he was still chasing lost causes on an afternoon when scorching temperatures inside Anfield resembled Saudi Arabia on one of its cooler days.

But while Salah provided the killer blow with the third goal, the architect of the victory was Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose corner saw Dominki Szoboszlai open the scoring with his first goal for the club and then a clever whipped pass over the top released Salah – which ultimately resulted in a Matty Cash own goal.

However, the sight of him limping off and straight down the tunnel with 20 minutes to go will be of some concern as manager Jurgen Klopp has no one else who can do what he currently does.

Klopp himself marked his 300th Premier League match with his 188th victory, losing just 43, but as he stressed in his programme notes when urging fans not to sing his song until after the final whistle, the focus was on the players.

This was only the second of seven league matches Liverpool had won without Virgil Van Dijk, currently suspended, but wearing the armband in his place, local lad Alexander-Arnold led by example.

However, even he could not have anticipated his third-minute corner reaching Szoboszlai untouched by anyone but the Hungary captain, who arrived from RB Leipzig with a reputation for scoring from distance, made sure the right-back got full value for his delivery.

As the ball dropped to him on the edge of the box the 22-year-old hit a sweet, controlled left-footed shot which, on its way back also evaded the crowd to nestle inside the returning Emi Martinez’s left-hand post.

Alexander-Arnold was the instigator of Liverpool’s second but it was the helping hand from Salah, for whom the Kop sang their first song in the 10th minute, chasing his brilliant pass with greater determination than Pau Torres which presented the chance for Nunez.

The Uruguay international scuffed a shot against the post but the rebound went in off the unfortunate Cash.

Liverpool’s right-back-cum-playmaker should have had another assist when he opted to cross a free-kick in prime shooting territory only to find the worst possible option in Joel Matip, whose free header never even threatened the target.

Villa – who lost Diego Carlos to injury midway through the first half – saw John McGinn and substitute Leon Bailey (twice) miss their best chances but the final 20 minutes of the first half was played in a bizarre atmosphere with the visitors sitting off, Liverpool at walking pace and the crowd subdued.

Nunez can always be relied upon to liven things up though and he smashed a shot against the crossbar from the narrowest of angles after the offside Salah’s clever decision not to chase Alexander-Arnold’s ball over the top.

Early in the second half, Alisson Becker parried away Cash’s close-range header on the line before Salah broke down the right, leaving the collapsing Lucas Digne in his wake, to produce a sublime outside-of-the-left-foot cross to the far post – which Nunez somehow managed to bundle wide.

But Salah was not to be denied and from Andy Roberton’s 55th-minute corner, Nunez flicked on the ball to the far post for the Egyptian to blast home from close range for the biggest cheer of the day.

Sauterne finished with a flourish to deny the front-running Big Rock a top-level success in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

Having picked up the silver medal behind Ace Impact in the the French Derby and Inspiral in the Prix Jacques le Marois, the Christopher Head-trained Big Rock sent off favourite to make it third time lucky in Group One company and went straight to the front in the hands of Aurelien Lemaitre.

After setting a sound gallop before easing off the pace, Lemaitre kicked again on the home bend and soon had the majority of his rivals in trouble in behind.

However, it became clear in the final furlong that Big Rock’s exertions were beginning to take their toll and he was unable to resist the late charge of Sauterne and Tony Piccone.

The winner, who placed in the French 1000 Guineas, the Prix Jean Prat and the Prix Rothschild earlier this season, was completing a big-race double on the card for trainer Patrice Cottier following the victory of the Champion Stakes-bound Horizon Dore in the Prix du Prince d’Orange.