Newcastle vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Naby Keita nets winner
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool: Follow reaction as the Reds edge past the Magpies to leapfrog Man City atop the Premier League table
Naby Keita ensured Liverpool’s quadruple hopes remain very much alive as he fired them to victory at in-form Newcastle to keep up the pressure on Premier League title rivals Manchester City.
Keita’s assured first-half finish was enough to claim a 1-0 win at St James’ Park on a day when Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was able to rest Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah from his startling line-up ahead of Tuesday’s decisive Champions League semi-final trip to Villarreal.
Liverpool might - and probably should - have won more comfortably in front of a boisterous crowd of 52,281 as they held the upper hand for much of a contest which saw the Magpies’ hopes of a fifth successive league win and a seventh on the trot at home wilt in the face of almost constant pressure.
Eddie Howe’s men were never able to build up the kind of head of steam which has eased them clear of the relegation battle, perhaps a reminder of how far they have to go before they can once again compete with English football’s best on a sustained basis.
Follow all the reaction from a crucial Reds win at St James’ Park below:
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
12 mins: Saint-Maximin is floating around a little left of centre just at the moment. He dribbles past a couple of challenges and lays it off to Almiron on the edge of the box, but there are a host of red shirts around him and the Paraguayan can’t get his shot off.
Liverpool come forward as Gomez sends a cross towards the back post... straight out of play.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
10 mins: Joe Gomez’s throw-in is headed behind by Dan Burn for a corner to Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s men growing into the game after a tricky opening five minutes.
Jota swings in the corner and Van Dijk is there to thump a volley well over the top. Chance for the Dutchman.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
8 mins: Robertson tries to pick Mane out with a lovely through ball inside the left channel, but Dubravka is smartly out to gather ahead of the Liverpool forward.
Newcastle pressing very highly. Alisson and Matip look to play it out from the back and Joelinton almost nips in.
The visitors do work their way out of trouble though and make it all the way to the edge of the Newcastle box. Keita fires a low shot towards the bottom corner and it whistles just wide of the post. It took a deflection, but a goal kick is wrongly given.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
6 mins: Robertson sends the free-kick into the box and Krafth gets his head to the ball to spoon it up into the air. It kindly falls for Jota inside the penalty area but his shot is always travelling over the top.
Rather open feel to this game early on.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
4 mins: Crossfield ball towards Mane is a little to heavy as Liverpool’s first foray into the home side’s half comes to nothing.
Saint-Maximin then has a run through the Liverpool midfield but Henderson does enough to close the gap and win the ball back for his side.
Jota is then fouled in the Newcastle half. Chance for Robertson to deliver into the box.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
2 mins: Newcastle straight on the front foot at the start of this one as Guimaraes looks to slide a ball into Joelinton who started over on that left-hand side. Saint-Maximin is through the middle, with Almiron hugging the right side.
Alisson plays a worrying pass straight to Joelinton but Newcastle fail to capitalise as a scuffed shot from Shelvey is comfortably gathered by the Brazilian keeper.
Good start from the hosts.
Kick-off: Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
1 min: KICK-OFF! Here we go then at St James’ Park. Referee Andre Marriner blows his whistle and Newcastle get us underway.
Newcastle vs Liverpool
Superb atmosphere at St James’ Park this Saturday lunchtime. There is a real big game feeling to today’s Premier League clash.
Kick-off is next.
Newcastle vs Liverpool
Quite the turnaround when it comes to Newcastle fans’ opinion of Joelinton. He is suddenly the messiah.
Credit to him, he has significantly improved in recent months.
Newcastle vs Liverpool
So then, five minutes until kick-off. Can Newcastle land a huge blow to Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes?
Liverpool are unbeaten in 14 league matches and are currently the most in-form team in Europe. It’s a rather tall order.
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