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Liverpool are disappearing over the horizon, leaving so-called title rivals to fight it out for second place. Arne Slot’s relentless team stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to 13 points with 10 games remaining with an assured defeat of Newcastle. Arsenal have no chance of bridging the gap. Liverpool appear to be improving.
A first-half goal from Dominik Szoboszlai and a fine second half strike from fellow midfielder Alexis Mac Allister sufficed against Eddie Howe’s team, who must hope injured assets and confidence recovers when the two clubs meet again in the Carabao Cup final in 18 days’ time. Liverpool were simply too strong and too solid for their challenge at Anfield. A run of five games in 15 days was portrayed as a defining period in the title race. Liverpool have strengthened their grip on title number 20.
Slot sat at the back of the directors’ box having been handed a two-match touchline ban for improper conduct following the recent Merseyside derby. With his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, also banned for two games for his behaviour at Goodison Park it fell to a former Everton player, John Heitinga, to direct Liverpool from the technical area. In keeping with Slot’s entire Anfield reign, it was a smooth transition.
As the head coach had promised, there was no letup from a Liverpool team that enjoys a clear view from the Premier League summit. Their work rate and desire were again exemplary, confidence understandably high. Luis Díaz was a tireless presence who Tino Livramento struggled to contain.
Mohamed Salah thought he should have had an early penalty when, attempting to reach Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cute pass inside Lewis Hall, the Newcastle left-back tumbled in front of him and sent the forward sprawling. Salah was aghast when penalised for a foul on Hall. Slot was not impressed by the referee Stuart Attwell’s decision either, judging by his reaction in the stands. Better to keep a distance sometimes.
Slot was soon celebrating in the posh seats, however, along with Heitinga on the touchline, when Szoboszlai steered home a polished finish for the second successive game. Díaz was the architect of the breakthrough, attacking Livramento from the left and flicking the ball back to the unmarked Liverpool midfielder when approaching the byline. Szoboszlai’s shot lacked power but sailed between the legs of Sandro Tonali and flicked off Dan Burn to beat an unsighted Nick Pope down the centre of Newcastle’s goal.
The Hungary captain has been under instruction to shoot more and has clearly taken Slot’s message on board. The goals at Manchester City on Sunday and against Newcastle were reward for relentless shifts from the increasingly influential midfielder. Szoboszlai was close to doubling his and Liverpool’s tally shortly before the interval but a first-time shot from 18 yards curled just wide.
Newcastle’s task had become more complicated before kick-off, in fairness, when Alexander Isak joined Joelinton and Sven Botman on the sidelines with a groin injury. The loss of his leading striker forced Howe to hand Callum Wilson a first league start of the season and adjust to a 4-4-1-1, with Anthony Gordon playing off the recalled forward. Wilson’s lack of match sharpness showed when he was twice played through on Alisson’s goal and twice fluffed the finish. The first, from Gordon’s piercing pass, would have been ruled out for offside anyway but Wilson was onside when Burn’s long ball caught out Ibrahima Konaté. His shot sailed well wide of the Kop goal. A little warning to Liverpool, all the same.
For all of the hosts’ control and composure against a weakened Newcastle, Szoboszlai’s goal was the only shot on target from either side in the first half. Hall prevented Salah converting a Diogo Jota cross with an acrobatic clearance while Pope escaped when his attempted clearance struck the incoming Egypt international. The ball just ran out of play before Salah could capitalise.
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There was more belief and purpose to Newcastle’s performance in the second half with Gordon increasingly prominent. Wilson and Virgil van Dijk needed treatment after a clash of heads when challenging for a Gordon cross. Still, Alisson remained untested.
Liverpool ended any prospect of a Newcastle recovery in devastating fashion. The leaders’ second goal was another demonstration of Mac Allister’s intelligence and Salah’s vision. The Argentina international seized on a loose pass by Tonali and drove at the visiting defence before finding Salah in his customary place. Liverpool’s prolific marksman was instantly crowded out yet, with his route to goal closed off, he worked space for a return pass to Mac Allister.
The midfielder swept an emphatic first time shot into the top corner of Pope’s goal and Salah had his 22nd assist of the season in all competitions. A sublime cross with the outside of Salah’s left foot almost produced another but Díaz poked wide at full stretch at the far post.
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