Full-time: Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle United
Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
Liverpool will be hoping to maintain an excellent start that has seen them win all four of their league matches so far this season.
They will strong favourites against a Newcastle side who by contrast have had a difficult start, though following two straight losses, an improvement in form saw them beat Tottenham and draw with Watford more recently.
The Reds, though, will be strong favourites, as they aim to pull five points clear of second-place Man City, ahead of the Etihad outfit’s clash with Norwich this evening.
Confirmation of today’s teams…
🔴 #LIVNEW TEAM NEWS 🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 14, 2019
Our team to face @NUFC today 👊 https://t.co/nS8VdmB2bN
TEAM NEWS
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) September 14, 2019
Here's how Newcastle United will line up for today's @premierleague game against @LFC at Anfield. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/j2zgUTMoVZ
Who do you think will win today?
Poll Results:
We’re under way…
Origi, who has been preferred to Firmino, is receiving treatment after falling awkwardly.
It looks like he’s going to be okay though.
NEWCASTLE 1-0 LIVERPOOL (WILLEMS 8)
Newcastle take a surprise lead.
They counter, with Atsu playing it to Jetro Willems on the edge of the area.
He turns away from Alexander-Arnold and fires and unstoppable shot from the edge of the area into the top corner.
It’s just the Dutch player’s second appearance for Newcastle, having signed on a season-long loan from Eintracht Frankfurt last month.
Liverpool are still dominating possession and territory, with Newcastle looking solid and well-organised.
They Reds went close to producing an immediate response to the goal, with Oxlade-Chamberlain driving an effort from distance wide.
Well, well, @NUFC score first and all over the country people with acca’s collectively sigh.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 14, 2019
Shelvey attempts a shot from the halfway line, but his effort is well off target.
Liverpool haven’t been at their best thus far and have failed to create any real clear-cut chances.
Liverpool are playing a risky game with the offside trap.
Joelinton is just offside in the latest marginal call, and the Magpies will believe it’s a tactic they can expose.
Jamaal Lascelles does well initially to head away Alexander-Arnold’s cross with Origi lurking.
Moments later, Sadio Mane finds the Belgian with his cross, but the subsequent header is off target.
Liverpool are starting to up the pressure now.
LIVERPOOL 1-1 NEWCASTLE (MANE 28)
Liverpool equalise.
It’s great work initially from Robertson, who beats one player before squaring it to Mane.
The Senegal international then makes no mistake, clinically curling the ball into the top corner of the net.
That goal continues a fantastic run of form for Mane.
As BT Sport point out, only Sergio Aguero has scored more goals than him in the calendar year.
Origi appears to have suffered a recurrence of the previous injury mentioned earlier and is taken off after receiving treatment.
Firmino, who had a hectic schedule during the international break, comes on earlier than Jurgen Klopp ideally would have wanted.
LIVERPOOL 2-1 NEWCASTLE (MANE 40)
Liverpool take the lead and it’s a bit of a goalkeeping howler.
Newcastle lose the ball in midfield and Firmino makes an immediate impact with a clever through pass.
Initially, it looks as if Martin Dúbravka will get there ahead of Mane, but he fails to claim it under pressure from the attacker, and the Senegal international ultimately has an easy tap in after a kind deflection off the goalkeeper.
HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-1 NEWCASTLE
So half-time and Liverpool lead, but it hasn’t been totally straightforward for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
They went behind and have looked a little vulnerable on the counter-attack at times, while their offside trap has nearly been exposed more than once.
Nevertheless, some typical brilliance from Sadio Mane in addition to a goalkeeping error means they are on course for a fifth straight win.
The second half is under way…
Newcastle start the half with a rare attack.
It begins with a nice long ball from Shelvey. Joelinton then lays it to Krafth, whose shot from a tight angle deflects out for a corner.
That’s a reminder, if one were needed, that the visitors are still very much in this game.
Moments later, Wijnaldum shaves the crossbar with an impressive volley from the edge of the area after being set up by Robertson.
34 - Sadio Mané has never lost a Premier League home game in which he's found the net, winning 32 and drawing two of his previous 34 games when doing so. Unblemished. pic.twitter.com/PwKObTnJs2
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 14, 2019
Chance for Newcastle.
Miguel Almirón’s cross finds an unmarked Krafth cross at the far post.
The Swedish player, though, lacks composure at the vital moment, and blazes it over the bar under pressure from the onrushing Van Dijk.
Down the other end, Firmino plays through Alexander-Arnold, whose shot from a tight angle is turned away for a corner by Dúbravka.
Firmino gets on the end of Alexander-Arnold’s cross, but his header is straight at Dubravka.
Just under half an hour of normal time remains.
As I type, Lascelles makes an important block to prevent Salah getting a shot on goal.
Moments later, Firmino plays a clever lofted through ball to Robertson, whose finish is deflected wide via the legs of the Newcastle stopper.
Newcastle make a double change as they attempt to turn this game around.
Manquillo replaces Krafth, while Muto is on for Almirón.
LIVERPOOL 3-1 NEWCASTLE (SALAH 72)
Liverpool have all but sewn up this game now.
It’s great work from Firmino, who brilliantly flicks it through to Salah, and the Egyptian makes no mistake with his finish.
Liverpool made a change after the goal, with Milner replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The former Arsenal player is continuing to recover his match fitness after being out of action for more than a year with a long-term injury.
Newcastle also make a change. Schär has taken a bit of a knock and has been replaced by Fernandez.
Liverpool make a final change.
It’s a rare appearance for Shaqiri, who replaces Wijnaldum.
50 - Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 50 Premier League goals for Liverpool at Anfield, scoring 36 and providing 14 assists (41st appearance). Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/skduO9qYTS
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 14, 2019
It’s another beautiful flick through from Firmino, who’s been brilliant today.
However, Dubravka gets down well to save Alexander Arnold’s sub-par finish.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time…
FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 3-1 NEWCASTLE
With the first international break of the season over, the shadow boxing of the early weeks of the season out of the way and European football back from Tuesday, the pace of the season quickens from today.
Liverpool are showing no signs of relenting at the top, coming from behind to beat Newcastle 3-1 at Anfield in the lunchtime kick-off.
Man City will get their chance to respond against an injury-ravaged Norwich at 5.30pm.
But before we get to that - there’s a healthy slate of 3pm kick-offs, which we’ll be keeping you bang up to date with here.
Here are the fixtures, with three of the traditional top six in action:
Manchester United v Leicester
Sheffield United v Southampton
Brighton v Burnley
Wolves v Chelsea
Spurs v Crystal Palace
We say ‘traditional’ top six as Leicester are at Old Trafford to prove they can disrupt the hegemony this season.
We’ll be paying particular heed to proceedings in that game, but you’ll be kept up to date with the key moments in those other games.
Get in touch below the line, or email gavincooney@the42.ie.
We’ll have team news for you in a moment…
So that’s that.
Liverpool continue their 100% start to the season with a deserved win.
Though they got off to a shaky start and Newcastle sporadically threatened, it was never really a game that the Reds looked in serious danger of losing.
As a consequence, they prevailed without ever really having to be at their best or playing at full tilt.
That said, the introduction of Firmino after half an hour made a difference, with the Brazilian intelligent play and wonderful technical prowess enabling Liverpool’s attack to function better and lighting up the match in the process.
Liverpool now move five points clear, with second-place Man City needing to beat Norwich later the bring the gap at the top back to two.
14 - Liverpool are the first team in top-flight history to win 14 consecutive matches while scoring more than once in each win. Entertainment. pic.twitter.com/dlZLvjjS4Q
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 14, 2019
Right, that’s all from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction to follow and you can read the match report here.
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