Liverpool vs Newcastle Review
Liverpool extended their lead over Arsenal at the top of the Premier League by 13 points after defeating Newcastle 2-0. A significant pre-match development was the unexpected absence of Newcastle’s star striker Alexander Isak due to a groin injury, which made the challenge even tougher for Eddie Howe’s team. Meanwhile, Arne Slot was serving a two-match touchline suspension following the controversy at Goodison Park, but it didn’t affect the game as his team took the lead just 11 minutes in with a goal from Dominik Szoboszlai. Luis Díaz assisted the Hungarian international, who calmly finished from close range, marking Liverpool’s 100th goal of the season across all competitions.
The Reds were mostly in control of the game, but nearly faced a scare when Dan Burn sent a long ball to Callum Wilson, who found himself one-on-one with Alisson but missed the target. Szoboszlai came close to extending the lead for the hosts, as his right-footed shot narrowly missed the post after being set up by Diogo Jota. Aside from Wilson’s opportunity, it was a relatively easy first half for Liverpool, who hadn’t fully engaged by halftime.
After the break, Liverpool started slowly but managed to increase their lead three minutes after the hour mark with a goal from Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentine intercepted the ball in midfield, combined well with Mohamed Salah, and finished with a precise right-footed shot past Nick Pope. Salah then attempted to assist Díaz with a beautiful cross using the outside of his left foot, but the Colombian missed at the far post.
In the end, Liverpool managed to secure the victory, even though they weren’t at their most impressive, against a Newcastle side that missed the attacking prowess Isak would have brought. Howe’s squad has now suffered four losses in their last six Premier League games during a tight competition for European qualification, while Liverpool has strengthened their hold on the title race, which is increasingly looking like a formality with every match.
