Football: Benteke Deals Bodyblow To Old Club, United On The Rise

LONDON, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2017 ) - Christian Benteke's double for Crystal Palace against his old club Liverpool dealt perhaps a fatal blow to their hopes of Champions League football whilst boosting Manchester United's chances on Sunday.

United had already done their chances no end of good earlier on Sunday as Anthony Martial responded positively to criticism by Jose Mourinho in scoring one and being involved in Wayne Rooney's second beating Burnley 2-0 to move up to fifth spot and a point off Manchester City -- who they play on Thursday.

However, it is Liverpool who will be the most worried about missing out on the lucrative Champions League spot next season as they are just two points clear of United who have two games in hand.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pondered how Palace had been in danger of relegation when their performance belied their lowly position.

Palace now look certain to preserve Sam Allardyce's proud record of never being in charge of a club that has gone down.

However, Klopp issued a rallying call to the fans and his players not to give up hope on the Champions League. "It is frustrating, disappointing of course," Klopp told the BBC. "Everyone thinks the Champions League has slipped through our fingers but we have one more month to stay positive.

"We have to try everything to squeeze everything out of this season." Allardyce, who has engineered victories over Chelsea, Arsenal and now Liverpool in recent weeks, said there was a sense of relief that there was clear breathing spsce now between them and the bottom three -- they are seven points clear of Swansea. "It has been hard work but we are looking up," he told BBC.