Well, he would never go quietly. Mohamed Salah signed for the Africa Cup of Nations with two goals and an assist as Liverpool moved three points clear at the Premier League summit with victory over wayward Newcastle. Jurgen Klopp will be counting down the days until he returns.
Salah’s final Liverpool appearance before representing Egypt in Ivory Coast was a test of the leaders’ composure and their resources at the end of a demanding festive schedule. They succeeded convincingly. It was a hard-fought battle at times with Eddie Howe’s visitors defending desperately and drawing level through Alexander Isak, but not for the first time this season Liverpool’s top scorer and their options off the bench made the difference.
Related: Liverpool vs Newcastle: Premier League – live
Klopp’s side have opened up a six-point lead over Arsenal since Mikel Arteta’s side left Anfield ten days ago to top the table.
Injuries have undoubtedly contributed to Newcastle’s recent problems, with Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier joining the list of absentees, but Howe’s starting line-up at Anfield was not a million miles away from the team that qualified for the Champions League last season. A lack of confidence on the ball was a bigger problem for the visitors than a lack of options, and hardly surprising after six defeats in the previous seven games. However, Newcastle did manage to frustrate Liverpool with a deep-lying defense and limit their chances of cutting through a compact midfield.
Liverpool started at a furious pace, with both players and crowd sensing an inviting opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table. Trent Alexander-Arnold had a powerful drive that was deflected just wide of Martin Dubravka’s goal after 90 seconds. The Newcastle goalkeeper produced a fine save to clear Darwin Núñez’s effort after he, Salah and Alexander-Arnold combined to cut open the visiting defense for the first time. The rebound fell to Curtis Jones, but Fabian Schär was well placed to block in front of his goal line.
The hosts dominated possession, but with Joelinton and Anthony Gordon sitting close to Newcastle’s three-man midfield it was difficult to break through their lines. The first time Liverpool succeeded, they scored, although Luis Díaz’s effort was ruled out for offside. Virgil van Dijk released Jones in space and the midfielder dissected the Newcastle defense with a brilliant ball into Núñez, his pass to Díaz, making his 50th Liverpool start and converting confidently. The assistant referee’s flag against Núñez was supported by VAR. Possibly.
Newcastle’s delay should have lasted seconds. Liverpool immediately regained possession and Díaz danced his way past Dan Burn in the area before tripping over Sven Botman’s challenge. The referee, Anthony Taylor, immediately pointed to the spot, VAR eventually agreed and Salah stepped forward to take the penalty. His 150th league goal for Liverpool beckoned, but Salah fired the penalty straight down the middle and Dubravka cleared. Alexander-Arnold was first to the loose ball, but cut high into the Kop.
Dubravka had an excellent first half. The stand-in keeper foiled Núñez again when Botman slipped in pursuit of a long ball and the Uruguayan international was left one-on-one with Dubravka, who also saved the striker’s follow-up attempt. Alexander-Arnold beat the keeper with a daring half-volley from a seemingly impossible angle that kissed the far post.
With Alexander Isak isolated throughout Newcastle, opportunities were few and far between and limited to counter-attacking. Joe Gomez blocked an early effort from Lewis Miley, which was played into space by Isak on the right, while Burn had a diving header disallowed for slight offside against the lone striker after a neatly constructed break.
Anfield were growing increasingly angry at Taylor’s willingness to let the game flow, or extreme leniency towards Joelinton would be another way of putting it. The Brazilian somehow escaped a booking for dragging Dominik Szoboszlai down when the Liverpool midfielder was in full flow, while a foul on Díaz on the edge of the penalty area also went unpunished. When a yellow card was eventually shown and shown to Alexander-Arnold for kicking the ball away, the Liverpool defender erupted in anger and approached the referee. He can be grateful that Ibrahima Konaté noticed the warning signs and sprinted onto the pitch to push his vice-captain away. Joelinton was eventually shown a yellow card after a foul on Konaté in the 67th minute.
Liverpool’s growing frustration was allayed minutes after the restart when Salah scored his 150th league goal for the club. Newcastle were punished mercilessly on a rare foray into Liverpool’s penalty area, with Szoboszlai finding Díaz in space on the left. The Colombia international moved forward and picked out Núñez unmarked on the right with a fine pass. Núñez, just out of bounds, ensured Salah reached his final milestone with a simple tap-in. The watching Roberto Firmino relished his former teammate becoming only the fifth player in Liverpool history to score 150 league goals.
Klopp’s side came close to doubling their lead when Salah returned the favor to Núñez, only for Dubravka to save from close range. He thwarted Núñez again as the striker closed in from the right, while last-ditch defending prevented Jones, Díaz and substitute Cody Gakpo from getting on the scoresheet.
Newcastle had little to offer as an attacking force but leveled quickly and in style when Gordon found himself in the space on the left and played a perfectly weighted pass into Isak’s run behind Liverpool’s defence. Isak took his first chance of the night and delivered a delicate finish over Alisson into the far corner.
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Substitutes have made a huge contribution to Liverpool’s campaign and another arrived with fifteen minutes remaining as Diogo Jota orchestrated the second. Jota swept right before finding Salah, continued his run into the area where he received the return ball and squared for Jones to convert from close range. Another substitute, Gakpo, added a third when he fired home an excellent cross from Salah, who exposed the Newcastle defense with a tap with the outside of his boot.
Botman pulled a goal back for Newcastle when he headed home from a corner, but Liverpool avoided a nervy finale when Jota went through on goal and was clipped as he rounded Dubravka. This time Salah made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending Dubravka the wrong way and putting Liverpool three points clear at the top.