By Thomas Durning
Liverpool bolster there top 4 hopes with win at St James Park
Two first half goals for Liverpool were enough for the Reds to claim all three points and end Newcastle’s unbeaten 17 match run in what was an action packed Premier League evening match.
Newcastle made one change to the side that drew with Bournemouth last time out with Elliot Anderson coming into the team to replace Joe Willock who was side-lined due to injury.
Liverpool also made one change to the side that claimed victory in the Merseyside derby against Everton with Joel Matip coming out of the team and he was replaced by Virgil Van Dijk who was making his first start in seven weeks after missing out through injury.
Before kick-off, there was a moment of applause for former Newcastle player Christian Atsu who tragically lost his life due to the earthquake in Turkey.
Newcastle started the match very brightly and could have taken the lead in the 4th minute after Saint-Maximin found Almiron in the box and after taking a good touch, he fired at goal only to see his shot brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Alisson.
Despite Newcastle’s fast start, it was Liverpool who took the lead in the 10th minute after a brilliant pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold found Darwin Nunez and after taking a brilliant touch, he rifled his shot passed Nick Pope to give Liverpool an early lead.
Liverpool have won seven of there games this season when scoring the first goal of the match which would not be good reading for Newcastle.
Seven minutes later and Liverpool scored there second goal of the match. Mohamed Salah produced a delightful, chipped pass over the top of Newcastle’s defence and after timing his run perfectly, Cody Gakpo managed to latch onto the ball and stick his right foot to get the ball under Nick Pope. This was Gakpo’s second goal in two matches which will give him even more confidence after arriving from PSV in January.
It was a nightmare start for Newcastle and five minutes later it got even worse as goalkeeper Nick Pope was sent off after handling the ball outside of his box. After racing out of his goal, Pope failed to clear the ball with his feet and in a moment of madness, he held the ball with two hands to prevent Salah intercepting and scoring. The referee was left with no choice but to show him a red card. Due to his red card, it now means that Pope will be suspended for the League Cup final next weekend against Manchester United.
With Newcastle now down to 10 men they had to change their approach and went with a 4-3-2 formation. It was a positive move from the home side as they kept two players up front in the hope they could get back in the game.
Newcastle nearly pulled one back in the 31st minute after Saint-Maximin’s run in the attacking area, he managed to cut in from the right hand side and fire a shot with his left foot but Alisson managed to get a touch and the ball went off the bar and out of the pitch.
The home side were applying pressure and nearly scored again in the 41st minute after a corner from Tripper was met by defender Dan Burn but his header crashed onto the crossbar and the ball bounced to safety. It was a brilliant chance for the Magpies and one that Burn should have scored.
This was to be the last action of the first half with Newcastle who were down to 10 men having a lot of work to do to try and get back in the game in the second half.
The second half got underway, and it was Newcastle who started the brightest. In the 52nd minute, Aleksander Isak received the ball from Saint-Maximin who had cut the ball back from the right hand side. After receiving the ball, Isak shot on the turn with his left foot but the ball went just over the bar.
Newcastle had another chance three minutes later after Trippier’s cross into the box was headed by defender Fabian Schar but the ball just went wide of the goal.
Liverpool was struggling with Newcastle’s set pieces and this looked like the way the home side could get back in the game.
Although Newcastle were probing, Liverpool were still a threat and could have extended there lead in the 57th minute when Nunez cut inside from the left flank and fired a low shot towards Dubravka who managed to save it and turn it passed the post.
After both sides made changes in the middle of the second half, the tempo of the game dropped with Newcastle running out of ideas to score and Liverpool happy to hold onto there two goal lead. There was another chance for Newcastle in the 82nd minute after Roberto Firmino gave the ball away in the middle of the pitch which led to Anthony Gordon breaking away, he passed the ball to Callum Wilson but the striker could not get past Allison who managed to keep the ball out of the net.
This was to be the last meaningful action of the match and Liverpool ran out winners and Newcastle suffered there first home defeat of the season.
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier (Murphy 64’), Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Anderson (Dubravka 24’), Joelinton (Ritchie 71’) Saint-Maximin, Isak (Wilson 64’), Almiron (Gordon 64’)
Subs not used: Lascelles, Dummett, Manquillo, Lewis
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson (Elliott 59’), Bajcetic (Milner 59’), Salah, Gakpo (Jota 59’), Nunez (Firmino 59’)
Subs not used: Keita, Phiilips, Kelleher, Tsimikas, Matip
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Reporter: Thomas Durning
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