Liverpool rock Bournemouth, United down Albion

Manchester United kept their faint Premier League titles hopes alive with a 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion, while Liverpool moved back into the top four with a 4-0 rout of Bournemouth on Sunday. With Manchester City romping away with the title race, United had to win at the Hawthorns to have any chance of reeling in their local rivals.

Romelu Lukaku has been involved in 8 goals in his last 8 #PL matches against former club West Brom (5 goals, 3 assists) pic.twitter.com/Tg7cPbiYEY

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2017

Romelu Lukaku put Jose Mourinho's side in front with a 27th-minute header and Jesse Lingard netted with the aid of a deflection to double the visitors' lead in the 35th minute. But what looked destined to be a comfortable win became tense when Gareth Barry prodded home for Albion in the 77th minute.

Gareth Barry’s goal against Man Utd was his 1st as a sub in the #PL since April 1999 (for @AVFCOfficial v Nottingham Forest), a gap of 6,812 days pic.twitter.com/3QIEFZ4S3E

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2017

United ended the game defending for their lives before claiming the win that left them 11 points behind City. "I think we deserved the win. We were the best team. We controlled the game for a long time," Mourinho said. "The intensity in the first half maybe we didn't have in the second half.

Mourinho: Man Utd lost ambition vs West Bromhttps://t.co/1fIlFOhudl pic.twitter.com/JdvCJybqc1

— Goal UK (@GoalUK) December 17, 2017

"West Brom are really powerful in the air. But after their goal we controlled it again." At Dean Court, Liverpool demonstrated their goal power with a clinical display that took them above Arsenal and Burnley into fourth place.

Liverpool are the first team in top-flight history to win 4 consecutive away games by a margin of at least 3 goals pic.twitter.com/EkubVj9IHt

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 18, 2017

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said: "I am really pleased about everything. "I like how we defended different situations and our tactical discipline was good. "It was a fantastic first goal and the third was world class. "We could have scored more, but we didn't really give a lot away so it was well deserved."

Jurgen Klopp was full of praise for Liverpool after Sunday's thrashing of Bournemouth pic.twitter.com/S4YX6nL1pN

— Goal (@goal) December 18, 2017

Ending a two-match winless run in the league, Klopp's side took the lead in the 20th minute. Philippe Coutinho took possession 30 yards from goal and weaved his way past several Bournemouth defenders before planting a precise strike past Asmir Begovic. Liverpool's second goal came six minutes later when Bournemouth failed to clear a corner and Roberto Firmino hooked the ball into the six-yard box, where defender Dejan Lovren stooped to head in.

Liverpool have now scored 19 first-half goals in the #PL this season – more than 10 of the other clubs have netted in total pic.twitter.com/XCy1gZMHtz

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2017

Mohamed Salah bagged number three for the Reds in the 44th minute. The Egypt winger ran on to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's pass, held off Charlie Daniels, cut inside Nathan Ake and slotted past Begovic for his 20th goal in a superb first season with Liverpool. Firmino wrapped up Liverpool's commanding performance in the 66th minute, heading in Coutinho's cross despite Bournemouth's appeals for offside.

How things stand after Sunday's action... pic.twitter.com/CZ2hVsrbRd

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2017

RESULTSBournemouth 0 Liverpool 4 (Coutinho 20, Lovren 26, Salah 44, Firmino 66)West Brom 1 (Barry 77) Manchester United 2 (Lukaku 27, Lingard 35)