LFC 2-0 Newcastle: How the reds beat Rafa

Premier League
Saturday 03 March 2018 - 5:30 pm
Anfield
Liverpool2
0Newcastle
Show Match Events
⚽️ Salah40'
⚽️ Mane55'
65'↔️ Gayle off, Joselu on
73'↔️ Merino off, Hayden on
Mane off, Lallana on ↔️74'
Oxlade-Chamberlain off, Milner on ↔️79'
86'↔️ Murphy off, Pérez on
Firmino off, Matip on ↔️88'
Possession %
7030
Total Shots
147
Shots on Target
32
Shots Blocked
83
Offside
41
Hide Match Events

Liverpool face Rafa Benitez once more at Anfield and at the sixth attempt are aiming to get their first win over the Spanish manager.

And Jurgen Klopp is looking for his first win over Newcastle in his fourth attempt.

The former Liverpool manager will no doubt be afforded a warm welcome by the Liverpool crowd and any Newcastle fans at Anfield will have done well to have made it across the country after a horrible week of weather in Northern England.

Liverpool has escaped most of the bad weather - and with Man City and Chelsea playing tomorrow - will be hoping to cement their place inside the top four this weekend.

Man Utd play on Monday night - which means a Liverpool win would put them in second place for 48 hours at least.

As it happened...

16:33 UK
Confirmed LFC Team

Two changes for today's game - Matip and Milner make way and in comes Lovren and Henderson.

Liverpool: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Mignolet, Milner, Gomez, Moreno, Lallana, Solanke, Matip.

16:36 UK
Eleven 100% fit players

Klopp has explained the two changes from last weekend's win over West Ham

"It's to keep them all going. They are all in good shape.

"Millie got a knock in the last game; he is in really good shape so we thought long about what he could do.

"But we have 11 100 per cent fit players so we should not risk anything. That's the reason."

16:37 UK
Opponents

Newcastle: Dubravka, Lejeune, Lascelles, Dummett, Yedlin, Atsu, Kenedy, Diamé, Merino, Gayle, Murphy

Substitutions: Darlow, Manquillo, Hayden, Ritchie, Clark, Perez, Joselu

Former Liverpool player Jonjo Shelvey is not involved today due to a knee injury.

16:41 UK

Elsewhere Spurs are leading 2-0 against Huddersfield. 

They will leapfrog the reds in to third place ahead of this early evening game at Anfield.

16:50 UK

All smiles from Rafa Benitez

16:56 UK

Both Liverpool and Newcastle are undefeated in the last 4 Premier League games.  

Newcastle have drawn away at Crystal Palace and Bournemouth and beat Manchester United 1-0 at home in the last three games.

With Swansea winning today, and Southampton collecting a point - Newcastle are hovering just above the relegation zone.

17:08 UK
Managers pre-match

Rafa Benitez asked about returning to Anfield.

You have a lot of friends and fans around - in the build up, at the hotel.  It's a little bit special.  We wish them all the best but after this game.

We will move our players around.  When you play against Liverpool you know you will have less chances and have to play on the counter attack.

Jurgen Klopp: 

You can see from the team sheet Rafa's plan to try and defend and counter attack.  The only game that is important is today's.

17:21 UK

The Liverpool keeper, Loris Karius, unchanged for the sixth consecutive game.  Last time a LFC keeper played 6 consecutive games was the period crossing the end of 16/17 and start of 17/18.

The most consecutive games Mignolet had played this season for the reds has been 4.

17:27 UK
Teams are out

Mo Salah (23 goals) looking to equal Harry Kane (24) at the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts.

He's also looking for a goal in his 19th game of the season which would equal a record held by both Daniel Sturridge and Robbie Fowler.

17:30 UK
KICK OFF

We're underway at Anfield.  

Liverpool kicking towards the Anfield Road end.

17:35 UK

6' A tight compacted Newcastle United side in these opening minutes.

A missed defensive header surprised Mane as the ball landed at his feet.  He couldn't control it to direct it goalbound.

17:41 UK

12' Newcastle's 4 man midfield are exceptionally close to their back 5.  Liverpool, obviously, finding it difficult to break through but they do here.

Salah strikes a shot and Dummett took most of the deflection in his face to deny the Egyptian a chance.

17:45 UK

15' DeAndre Yedlin's got the pace to burn past Andy Robertson but his shot/cross is collected by Loris Karius.

17:46 UK

16' And another opportunity presents itself to Mo Salah - he tries a left footed angled shot at Newcastle's goal. 

Liverpool trying to pressure Newcastle into mistakes inside their own third.

17:51 UK

A change on the bench for Newcastle United.  Rafa Benitez has decided it's time for him to put a coat on. 

Some of the Newcastle fans who've managed to make the trip are, obviously, bare-chested in the almost freezing Anfield weather.

17:53 UK

22' Emre Can flicks on into the area but the impressive Newcastle keeper, Dubravka, reacts quickest to come and catch that.

Mid-way through the half and it remains 0-0. 

A free kick for Newcastle United from about 30 yards and Karius is down low to save.

17:58 UK
Double chance

27' Chance for Lovren from a Liverpool corner.  His first header is rebounded back at him but he can't do anything with the second attempt.

Newcastle not giving the reds much space to play forward balls ...

But they get a break here - Salah is played in but he delays pulling the trigger for the shot and Lejeune gets back to tackle him.

17:59 UK

29' Dwight Gayle, Newcastle's top scorer, has a crack from 20 yards out but it goes some distance over the bar and into the Kop.

18:02 UK

Liverpool corner...

18:03 UK

.. Firmino glances it on, Diame gets the touch... another corner...

18:03 UK

.. and the keeper completely misses that.  No Liverpool player is close enough to capitalise and it curls out for a goal kick.

18:10 UK
GOAL!!!!

40' Mo Salah breaks the deadlock with his 24th Premier League goal of the season. 

Oxlade-Chamberlain provides the assist for Mo Salah to fire a left footed shot into the goal.

18:12 UK

41' Firmino's twisting and weaving at the edge of the box - he plays Mane in but he fires over.

Liverpool lead with a few minutes left of this first half but they've worked hard to get that opportunity.

Good work by Oxlade-Chamberlain in the build up - he half-feinted a shot before feeding the ball to Liverpool's Egyptian genius.

18:16 UK
Great save

46' Wonderful hit by Diame for Newcastle and Karius makes a brilliant one handed save at his top right handed corner.

Big save that in first half stoppage time.

18:17 UK
HALF TIME

Liverpool lead 1-0 at half time thanks to Mo Salah - his 32nd goal in all competitions this season.

And in the dying moments of that half - an important save from Loris Karius.

18:32 UK
SECOND HALF

We're back underway.  Liverpool kicking towards the Kop in this second half.

18:41 UK

54' Definitely more space opening up in this second half.  Liverpool camped in Newcastle's half looking for that second goal.

18:42 UK
GOAL!

55' What did we say! Sadio Mane makes it 2-0 for Liverpool. Firmino with a fine threaded ball through for the assist.

18:53 UK
Newcastle sub

66' Joselu comes on to replace Dwight Gayle for Newcastle.  

Joselu scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at St James Park back in October.

18:53 UK

67' Liverpool corner in front of the Kop...

18:54 UK

.. hooked back into the area for Liverpool but the goalkeeper isn't tested and Newcastle can clear.

19:01 UK
Subs

74' Sadio Mane's work is done.  Adam Lallana comes on to replace him.

A change for Newcastle too - Issac Hayden replaces Mikel Merino.

19:03 UK

76' Into the last 15 minutes.  Adam Lallana tries to push a ball across the 6 yard box but he's flagged for offside.  

19:06 UK

79' Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain goes off and is replaced by James Milner.  Another good performance from the former Arsenal man who was crucial in assisting Mo Salah for Liverpool's opening goal today.

He's becoming an increasingly important player for the reds since Coutinho departed.

19:07 UK

81' Deflected Henderson shot earns Liverpool a corner.

19:08 UK

It's a poor corner from Milner that stays low and is easily cleared by the first defender.

19:12 UK
Final Newcastle sub

86' Ayoze Perez is on to replace Jacob Murphy.  Mo Salah and Bobby Firmino are still on the pitch which suggests they won't be involved against FC Porto in Tuesday's second leg.

19:15 UK

89' Liverpool make their final change.  Joel Matip does replace Roberto Firmino for the last 2 minutes.

There was a slight hesitation there as Adam Lallana did appear to be limping but he's fine.

19:16 UK
PENALTY SHOUT

Mo Salah appeared to be fouled just inside the area.  Loud shout for a penalty from the Kop.

Referee looked well placed to make a decision.

19:17 UK

We're going to play three minutes stoppage time

19:20 UK
ANOTHER PENALTY SHOUT

Looked like Mo Salah was completely pushed over in the area.

Referee looks at the assistant but it isn't given.

Looked a certain penalty on first viewing.

19:20 UK

Replays suggest Salah was fouled, but he was kicked just outside the box.  Denied a goalscoring opportunity.  Should have been a red card and a free kick.

19:21 UK
FULL TIME

After that late incident - it's all over

Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United

Liverpool move on to 60 points.  Klopp has his 200th Premier League goal, his first win over Newcastle and Liverpool finally beat Rafa Benitez at the 6th attempt.

Liverpool move into second place and are 7 points clear of 5th placed Chelsea who face Man City tomorrow.

19:32 UK
Klopp post match

'I really thought the boys did brilliant.  We did what we had to do. It's pretty cold - that's not the biggest problem - but it was windy that led to a few situations for both sides.

Two goals - a few more possible.  One world class save from Loris - not too much to do apart from that.

I'm happy'



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