Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool LIVE: Mohamed Salah’s sumptuous ball tees up Cody Gakpo to double the lead for the Reds inside 20 minutes as Jurgen Klopp’s side look in the mood at St James’ Park
Follow Sportsmail’s live blog for the Premier League clash between Newcastle and Liverpool.
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It’s also now the first time that Newcastle have conceded more than once in a game since they last played Liverpool this season in August.
There’s an early yellow card now for Fabinho after a challenge on Anderson.
Gakpo with the second!
The Dutch forward gets the goal, but it’s all about Mo Salah’s assist.
The ball comes in to the Egyptian in the centre of the pitch with the forward off his right flank, and he just caresses it first-time over the top of the back four and into Gakpo’s path inside the box.
The ex-PSV man takes one touch and then gets it in the back of the net on the slide past Pope!
For all their bluster at the start of the game, it’s the visitors that lead 2-0!
But the goal looks to have woken Liverpool up, too.
The Reds are finding dangerous areas to pick up the ball now, and Alexander-Arnold whips in a delicious ball across the six-yard box, which Newcastle can only turn behind for a corner.
The resulting kick sails clean through a mass of bodies in the box, and Newcastle can eventually counter through Saint-Maximin.
The forward evades Gomez and looks to release Isak in the middle, but the ball is just a little too heavy and Alisson is out to claim.
Well, Newcastle don’t really concede goals – that’s just their 14th in the league so far this season.
But they’ve struggled for goals too in recent weeks, can they find an instant reply?
They’re certainly still looking for one, and the press does not look to have lessened one bit.
Nunez has it in the back of the net, but will it count?
The Uruguayan is definitely onside as he finds a gap through the middle, and it’s a great ball over the top from Alexander-Arnold, but there’s a suggestion of a handball as he brings it down.
It’s a fantastic touch to bring it out of his feet, and he lashed it home from the edge of the box past Nick Pope, who could do nothing.
Newcastle are convinced it’s a handball, but a long VAR check sees the goal given completely against the run of play!
A spell of possession for Liverpool now, and the visitors can get some touches on the ball, but Mo Salah is forced back to his goal by some very energetic pressing, and Alisson sends it straight into touch.
The crowd loved that.
Trippier looks to get himself involved high up the pitch, but the long ball over the top finds him in an offside position and Liverpool can take a quick breather.
Newcastle are wasting no time this afternoon, and Saint-Maximin quickly ha another shot inside the box, but this time it’s well wide.
The Reds can clear but instantly the Magpies are back getting bodies forward.
There’s a great intensity to their play – something that has been prevalent all season – and if this continues the Reds will be in for a long night.
Isak was fantastic against Liverpool at Anfield, getting his first Newcastle goal, and he’s looked bright already here this afternoon.
Bajcetic has his pocket picked and the hosts are flying forward again.
The Reds repel the first wave, but suddenly Newcastle are back in attack and Saint-Maximin feeds Almiron in the middle unmarked but Alisson is out like a flash to close the angle and rescue his side an early goal.
Brilliant start from the hosts!
It’s an early chance for the hosts after Isak bursts clear through the middle.
He feeds Saint-Maximin, and receives the return pass to clip it into the middle, but there’s nobody following up and Liverpool can clear.
And Henderson gets us underway!
The players have all joined arms on either side of the centre circle to pay tribute to Christian Atsu.
A message is read out over the speakers for the former Magpies star, who was found after the earthquake in Turkey after 12 days of searching for his body.
A lovely touch from the travelling fans who sing out their anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ as the stadium applauds.
Big day for Elliot Anderson as well, making his first start for the Magpies after 11 substitute appearances.
A day he’ll never forget.
They’re in the tunnel now, ready to come out onto the field.
You can already hear the raucous crowd, and when the players do eventually come out they’re met by an almighty roar.
Surely one of the greatest stadiums in the country for atmosphere and noise?
Naturally, there’s been a lot of talk ahead of the game about the tragic passing of Christian Atsu.
Today would also mark the 90th birthday of one of the most important figures in Newcastle’s history, Sir Bobby Robson.
The former manager passed away in 2006 after a battle of lung cancer, and his birthday will surely only add to the emotion that is already in the air at St. James’ Park.
Liverpool, as we’ve established, have dominated this one in the past, but this will be the first time since 2006 that Newcastle are taking on the Reds while five or more places above them in the Premier League table.
The Reds did get the win on that day, though, with a 2-0 victory at Anfield in September, some 16-and-a-half years ago.
Will we get a repeat today?
Time to warm up.
It’s about eight degrees up in Newcastle, which feels surprisingly mild for the middle of February.
Out to warm up at St. James' Park 💪#NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/zXh5OVkNxN
It has been a long time since these two faced off against the backdrop of a fight for the top four, but that has not stopped a rivalry from brewing away between them.
For the full lowdown on the tension between the Reds and the Magpies, check out the story linked below.
Van Dijk looks pretty happy to be back in action, doesn’t he?
Good evening, lads 👋#NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/IjIitIXNMp
Newcastle surprised many Premier League fans with their meteoric rise back to the forefront of English football.
Eddie Howe’s work at the club will likely become a key fragment in a long and storied history at St. James’.
And as good as Miguel Almiron has been this season in front of goal, much of their success has been built on the back of a best-in-class defensive unit.
Newcastle have the fewest defeats in the division, and have conceded only 13 goals all season in 22 outings so far – a staggering feat for a side that spent much of last season flirting with relegation.
The goals have dried up of late, which is something that will be of concern – especially with Van Dijk back in the fold for the visitors!
For more on the Magpies’ poor form in front of goal, take a look below.
And it’s a tie that Liverpool fans can usually count on picking up some points in when the fixture lists are revealed ahead of the start of the season.
The Reds are unbeaten in five away games to the Magpies, but crucially, have come from behind to win on 10 occasions.
No other side has managed to come from behind to win more games against a single opponent (Man United have also managed 10 comebacks against the Magpies, as well as against Southampton).
Liverpool have dominated this tie over the years, with almost a 50 per cent win rate against the Magpies.
In 184 meetings, the Reds have 90 wins, with Newcastle taking 50 victories and the other 44 being even affairs ending in draws.
The home side have not actually beaten Liverpool since back in 2015, and will be hoping to end a run of 12 games without a win in all competitions.
The last time they met, Liverpool left it very, very late to win all three points at Anfield having gone 1-0 down, inflicting Newcastle’s only loss of the league season so far.
This match will be overshadowed by the tragic passing of Christian Atsu, after the Ghanaian international’s body was found after several days of searching following the devastating earthquake that hit areas of Turkey and Syria.
The midfielder spent time with Chelsea and Newcastle before moving to Saudi Arabia and then Turkey, and the Magpies will hold a minute’s silence this afternoon ahead of kick-off in tribute to their former star.
For more info, please read the stories below.
Just the one change for the hosts, as Anderson comes in for Willock, and that magnificent back four that have kept Newcastle in the top four remain unchanged.
For the visitors there is also just the one switch, with that man Van Dijk coming in for Matip at the back – surely a sight for some very sore eyes from the Liverpool fans!
And here’s the hosts!
HOWAY NEWCASTLE! ✊
⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/VMAyeKSFFL
Here’s how the visitors will line up tonight!
The Reds to take on Newcastle today 📋🔴#NEWLIV
Team news is just around the corner – but who do you want to see out there this evening?
The stage is set for #NEWLIV 🏟️
Let's go, lads. 👊 pic.twitter.com/y1maJnDs76
Good afternoon every one and welcome to the final game in tonight’s live football coverage from Sportsmail – and let me tell you, it’s definitely worth the wait.
We’ve got Champions League-chasing, high-flying Newcastle, hoping to break through the established order and cement themselves as a real force in England once again, coming up against a Liverpool side that are desperately clinging on to their ambitions of a top-four finish and in real need of a statement win.
We’ll be kicking off from St. James’ at 5.30pm, so stick with us as we bring you all the latest stories and news from around the game and the Premier League as we build-up to this fantastic clash we’ve got coming up!
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