Newcastle were in the game until the closing stages despite 3-1 away defeat at Liverpool on Thursday evening as the hosts move to within a point of league leaders Manchester City.

Howe’s side were written off by pretty much everyone at the start of the evening and rightly so, but after Jonjo Shelvey fired the visitors ahead with a 25-yard curling strike into the bottom corner (7), Toon fans were sent into delirium.

Predictably, the lead didn’t last long and in typical Newcastle style the Magpies gifted the Reds a way back into the game after a controversial equaliser.

Midfielder Isaac Hayden went down with a ‘head injury’ after clearing a dangerous corner from Andy Robertson before the ball was recycled by the home side and found its way to the back post where Diogo Jota netted his 9th of the season.

Hayden was grounded and holding his head as play continued but Klopp’s side refused to put the ball out of play while referee Mike Dean waved play-on, which led to Liverpool levelling the scores after just 21 minutes.

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe told BT sport after the game:

“It was clear to me that Isaac went down holding his head immediately. In my opinion the game should have been stopped.”

He added:

“It’s had a huge bearing on the game. We had the lead. It feels unjust and I feel it was doubly hard on our players.”

The home side took the lead just four minutes later after Sadio Mane’s effort rebounded straight to the feet of Mohamed Salah from Dubravka’s save.

The Egyptian placed his shot into the bottom corner and has now matched Jamie Vardy’s record for Premier League goal involvements in consecutive games (15), set in Leicester’s 2015 title winning season.

Liverpool sealed their 6th league victory in a row after Trent Alexander-Arnold smashed a stunner into the Newcastle net (87) to take his side to within a point of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

Credit: Action Images via Reuters / LEE SMITH – stock.adobe.com

To make things worse for Newcastle, Jamal Lewis and Allan Saint-Maximin were taken off due to injury as the Magpies remain in 19th place on 10 points with Burnley and Watford having games in hand. However, the fight and effort in the performance will be encouraging for new boss Eddie Howe.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Liverpool dominated the opening stages – Martin Dubravka made a sharp save to his left in the fourth minute as Sadio Mane’s drilled shot threatened the Newcastle net from a classy back-heel from Mo Salah.

However, Newcastle took a surprise early lead at Anfield. Thiago’s poor clearance found its way to Shelvey’s feet midway inside the home side’s half as the ex-Liverpool man curled a stunning effort into the bottom corner  to send his side ahead.

Soon after, Portuguese striker Diogo Jota missed a guilt-edged opportunity to put the home side level. Newcastle sloppily gave the ball away after intense pressure from the Reds as Fabian Schar failed to prevent Jota from bearing down on Dubravka.

However, Jonjo Shelvey was able to push the striker wide and shut down the angle for the shot which subsequently hit the side netting.

Jota netted the equaliser just minutes later after Andy Robertson’s probing corner was cleared by a combination of Isaac Hayden and Fabian Schar, before English midfielder Hayden stayed down holding his head after the collision. Play continued as Liverpool recycled possession and Mane’s cross from the right found Jota at the back post who put the ball in the net at the second time of asking.

Newcastle players surrounded referee Mike Dean who waved off their appeals and pointed to the centre-circle for the game to continue – there were about six seconds between the incident and the goal as Dean waved play-on.

Allan Saint-Maximin then had an opportunity to give the visitors a second and go back ahead. Again, Thiago passed the ball straight to the Frenchmen who ran at the Liverpool defence before his powerful shot was saved by Alisson.

Credit: Action Images via Reuters / CARL RECINE – stock.adobe.com

Liverpool took the lead just moments later. Newcastle gifted the ball to the home side as Schar slid in and caught Liverpool forward Mane, but the Senegalese international did well to stay on his feet before his scuffed effort was saved by Dubravka. Salah was waiting to hammer the ball into the far corner to score yet again against the Magpies.

The second half was much less open to begin with as the sides traded blows. Newcastle held a much more stubborn and organised shape as the home side struggled to break the defensive line. Both sides were sloppy in possession as the game simmered to the hour mark.

Then, Mane forced a decent leaping save from Dubravka as he nodded an Alexander-Arnold free-kick towards the Newcastle goal. At the other end, Jacob Murphy sent a shot whistling wide after good play once again from dribbling delight Saint-Maximin.

Just moments later, Alexander-Arnold tackled Ryan Fraser from behind in the Liverpool box, but replays showed he did catch the ball first and, after a lengthy VAR review, the on-field decision stood much to the frustration of the visiting fans who made their thoughts on Mike Dean heard.

Soon after, Shelvey whistled a free-kick just wide of the top corner before Liverpool seriously tested Martin Dubravka yet again.

in the closing stages, substitute Naby Keita forced a good save out of the 32-year-old ‘keeper, before Trent Alexander Arnold’s stunner sealed the three points for Liverpool. The English right-back received the ball from a short free-kick before aggressively smashing a shot into the roof of the net – a strike worthy of winning any game.

The defeat sees Newcastle remain 19th on ten points with games either side of Christmas against both Manchester clubs, starting with league leaders City on Sunday. The victory for Klopp’s side sees the reds move to within a point of Pepe’s blues in first and after Chelsea’s shock 1-1 home draw with Everton, Liverpool are three points clear of third spot.

PLAYER RATINGS

Dubravka (8), Lewis (n/a), Lascelles (6), Schar (6), Manquillo (6), Hayden (6), Shelvey (8), Murphy (7), Fraser (6), Joelinton (7), Saint-Maximin (7)

Subs: Ritchie (6), Wilson (6), Willock (n/a).

MANAGERS COMMENTS

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp:

“We used more Bournemouth than Newcastle to analyse the game. We expected similar things. They made life hard for us to be honest. We rushed in moments, it was not like we had 15 or 16 clear-cut chances but we scored really good goals.”

On the Trent goal:

“It was a stunner, unbelievable. His shooting technique is absolutely different level. In games like this, staying positive, staying offensive-minded in moments like this, just take the chance. Thank God Mike Dean is good on his legs so he could get out of the way!”

On Jota’s goal:

“I didn’t see it back. Both got up later. I’m not saying it’s like this situation, but really quite frequently players go down in the box when they lose a challenge, but I don’t know, I couldn’t see it. The assistant on my side told me it was all good, that two players on the same team came together.”

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe:

“I’m really disappointed with Liverpool’s first goal. I need to see it again but it was clear to me that Isaac went down holding his head immediately. In my opinion the game should have been stopped.

“It’s had a huge bearing on the game. We had the lead. It feels unjust and I feel it was doubly hard on our players.”

He added:

“I think [the referee Mike Dean] said to me he felt Isaac had held his back, for me he held his head. He was dazed for four or five minutes. It’s a dangerous moment where we have to think about the player’s safety. I don’t think you want to see games decided when players are out of the game.”

‘It follows a similar pattern where the rub of the green has gone against us. You play at Anfield and have the lead and then suddenly they get the goal and the crowd are up.’

Post-match thoughts?

Were you happy with the performance at Liverpool? Who was your MOTM? Can Howe steer NUFC to safety?

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