Premier League | Liverpool go 3 factors clear on high after Salah’s brace seals 4-2 win over Newcastle

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scores the workforce’s fourth objective in opposition to Newcastle United from the penalty spot within the Premier League sport on January 1, 2024
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Mohamed Salah’s second-half brace made up for a missed penalty as Liverpool kicked off the brand new yr three factors clear atop the Premier League standings with a 4-2 victory over Newcastle United at a rain-drenched Anfield on Monday.

Juergen Klopp’s workforce, who started the day degree with Aston Villa on factors, now have 45 from 20 video games. Villa have 42 factors whereas Manchester City, who’ve performed one fewer sport, are third on 40. Newcastle are ninth on 29.

The 31-year-old Salah, who has 150 Premier League objectives for Liverpool, modified his boots at halftime and it labored like a allure. His two objectives moved him even with City’s Erling Haaland as joint high scorers with 14 objectives. He is the joint high on assists, degree with Villa’s Ollie Watkins on eight.

Liverpool dominated the sport, and Salah, who had fired a first-half penalty straight at goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, lastly broke the impasse within the forty ninth minute when Darwin Nunez minimize the ball throughout to the Egyptian for a detailed vary end.

Alexander Isak scored in opposition to the run of play with Newcastle’s second shot of the sport within the 54th minute when he ran onto a by ball from Anthony Gordon and knocked it previous keeper Alisson into the far nook.

However, Curtis Jones put the house facet again in entrance within the 74th minute with a tap-in after a move throughout objective from Diogo Jota, and Cody Gakpo scored 4 minutes later.

Sven Botman pulled one again for Newcastle within the 81st earlier than Salah, who was taking part in his final sport earlier than departing for the African Cup of Nations, struck from the penalty spot after Jota had been fouled to seal the win within the 86th.

Liverpool have been on the entrance foot in opposition to Newcastle nearly from kickoff, and an excellent show by keeper Dubravka stored the guests within the sport.

Liverpool had 18 photographs within the first half to Newcastle’s one, their most within the first half of a Premier League sport since April 2016 in opposition to Everton.

Liverpool’s early probabilities have been met by groans from the Anfield crowd, together with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s strike following Salah’s missed penalty that he launched effectively over the crossbar.

Alexander-Arnold additionally had an extended shot at a good angle hit the far submit.

But they lastly discovered the web after the break and the floodgates opened.

“It’s a great result for us. The game was very intense and we managed to pick up three points and now we are top of the table. We need to stay calm and win every game,” Salah instructed Sky Sports.

“The players spoke in the dressing room (at halftime). ‘We have to stay calm’. I missed the pen. I didn’t want to leave for the national team with that performance.”