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Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool stretched Newcastle’s depressing run with a 4-2 victory at Anfield to open up a three-point lead on the high of the Premier League on Monday.
Jurgen Klopp’s group ought to have run out much more convincing winners as Martin Dubravka saved Salah’s first-half penalty amongst 10 stops.
However Salah made amends from the spot after he, Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo had netted within the second half to inflict a seventh defeat in eight video games on Newcastle.
Liverpool head into the Premier League’s winter break 5 factors away from title rivals Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal, with Aston Villa posing an sudden problem in second place.
Newcastle, against this, stay down in ninth and 11 factors off the highest 4 because the highlight grows on Eddie Howe.
The Magpies have the second worst away report within the Premier League this season and have been lucky to not be blown away by an embarrassing scoreline in stormy circumstances at Anfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold had despatched the primary warning shot simply large inside two minutes as Liverpool flew out of the blocks.
Dubravka has struggled to deputise for the sidelined Nick Pope as Newcastle’s type has slumped in latest weeks whereas battling an damage disaster.
However the Slovakian was in high type as he denied Darwin Nunez from shut vary.
Luis Diaz did have the ball within the internet shortly afterwards, however the aim was dominated out for offside in opposition to Nunez.
Diaz was then upended within the field by Sven Botman. However Dubravka bailed out the Dutch defender by denying Salah his a hundred and fiftieth Premier League aim for Liverpool from the spot.
The Egyptian, who was enjoying in his closing recreation earlier than heading out to the African Cup of Nations, has now missed 4 of his final 10 spot-kicks for the Reds.
Liverpool’s frustration grew as the primary half wore on and so they have been inches away from being hit with a sucker punch.
Dan Burn headed in on the far put up, however this time the offside flag saved the house aspect as Alexander Isak strayed past the final defender earlier within the transfer.
Salah makes amends
Lastly Liverpool’s stress instructed early within the second interval as for as soon as Nunez confirmed a cool head to pick Salah for a faucet in.
Nunez ought to then have put the sport past doubt as twice Dubravka stood up and confirmed robust wrists to parry highly effective efforts from the Uruguayan.
And fully in opposition to the run of play, Newcastle equalised simply 5 minutes after falling behind.
This time Isak timed his run to perfection to latch onto Anthony Gordon’s by way of ball and the Swedish striker slotted confidently previous the advancing Alisson Becker.
That shock didn’t change the course of the sport because the one-way site visitors in direction of the Newcastle aim continued.
Nunez’s evening resulted in frustration as one other golden probability got here and went along with his closing contact as he headed large.
Jurgen Klopp despatched on Diogo Jota and Gakpo and so they delivered when Nunez didn’t in entrance of aim.
Jota teed up Jones for a faucet in earlier than Gakpo’s scuffed end from Salah’s cross wrong-footed Dubravka.
Botman’s header briefly introduced Newcastle again inside one aim.
However any hope of a exceptional fightback was extinguished in controversial trend as Jota received a second penalty regardless of a delayed response to contact from Dubravka.
Klopp couldn’t watch on the touchline, however this time his talisman didn’t disappoint to make sure the begin to 2024 was a really completely satisfied new 12 months for Liverpool.
