体坛英语新闻：Shaqiri scores twice to send Liverpool back to top, Arsenal beaten by Southampton

LONDON,Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Second-half substitute Xherdan Shaqiri scored twice to give Liverpool a 3-1 victory over Manchester United and send the Reds back to the top of the Premier League table at Anfield on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp's men showed dominance throughout the game with Sadio Mane putting the hosts into a 24th minute lead when he volleyed in Fabinho's pin-point ball into the path of his run across the box.

Jesse Lingard levelled the score after Alisson Becker fumbled Romelu Lukaku's cross into the goal-mouth.

Klopp sent on Shaqiri less than 20 minutes from time and the Swiss winger made a near-instant impact, scoring two deflected goals in the 73rd and 80th minute to seal the victory.

An excited Klopp said after the match, "Very! Very, very, very. The brilliant start was one of the best performances we had since I'm in Liverpool, to be honest, not only this season."

"Unbelievable, it's really nice and I think absolutely deserved tonight," he said. "It was a nearly perfect night for us."

Arsenal's 22-match unbeaten run came to an end as Charlie Austin's 85th-minute goal condemned the north London side to a 3-2 defeat at Southampton.

The Saints won their first home league game since April and climbed out of the relegation zone to 17th.

The hosts took the lead after 20 minutes as Danny Ings rose high to head home Matt Targett's cross. Henrikh Mkhitaryan nodded in shortly after for Arsenal but Ings struck again just before the break.

Mkhitaryan equalized again with a shot deflected in off Jannik Vestergaard. Southampton's Shane Long had a goal rightly ruled offside in the second half before providing a cross for Austin's winner.

Eden Hazard set up one goal for Pedro Rodriguez and scored another himself as Chelsea beat hosts Brighton 2-1.

Solly March pulled one back for Brighton in the second half but Chelsea held on to pull within two points of third-placed Tottenham.