Liverpool vs Newcastle LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
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Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a spectacular goal as the Reds bounced back from the loss of three players to suspected positive COVID-19 tests to beat Newcastle United 3-1 in their Premier League clash at Anfield on Thursday.
Liverpool move onto 40 points from 17 games, one behind leaders Manchester City who beat Leeds United 7-0 on Tuesday.
With Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones all ruled out for the hosts, Jonjo Shelvey struck the opener for Newcastle against the run of play in the seventh minute, with a swerving, dipping drive past unsighted goalkeeper Allison Becker.
The lead lasted 14 minutes before Diogo Jota fired home the rebound after Martin Dubravka saved his initial header to level, with Newcastle’s players complaining the ball should have been put out of play as Isaac Hayden was down injured in his own box.
Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead four minutes later and Alexander-Arnold got the third with an 87th-minute rocket to wrap up a win that leaves Newcastle second-bottom on 10 points.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Salah versus Newcastle
Mohamed Salah can equal Jamie Vardy’s record of scoring or setting up a goal in 15 successive Premier League appearances and he’s got the perfect opponents. Salah has scored against Newcastle at Anfield in each of the last four seasons.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones miss Liverpool vs Newcastle with suspected Covid positives
Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones will miss Liverpool vs Newcastle with suspected Covid positives, the club have confirmed.
The Reds take on the Magpies in the Premier League on Thursday night but will do so without the trio who are all now isolating.
Trio miss Liverpool vs Newcastle with suspected Covid positives
The news comes fast after the Premier League confirmed four more games this upcoming weekend have been postponed following further outbreaks at a number of clubs
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Goals expected this evening
Newcastle haven’t failed to score in consecutive Premier League fixtures so far this season and after being shutout by Leicester City in their last fixture they’ll feel confident of scoring tonight.
There have been 26 goals scored in Newcastle’s five most recent Premier League games played on a Thursday. That could be a sign of fireworks to come later tonight.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Fortress Anfield
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side are unbeaten in 12 home league fixtures since a run of six defeats in a row at Anfield between January and March.
The Reds could become the first team to win 2,000 top-flight matches, they are currently one short of that milestone.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Jurgen Klopp won’t go shopping for Liverpool replacements during African Nations Cup
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has no plans to find transfer window solutions for African Nations Cup absentees Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita.
The Reds boss could be without at least two members of that trio for a month from the start of January and while Egyptian Salah and Senegal’s Mane will be huge misses, it is difficult to replace them.
Jurgen Klopp won’t go shopping for Liverpool replacements during African Nations Cup
Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita during the tournament which starts in January
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Poor signs for Newcastle
Newcastle’s only league victory in 16 attempts this season came against Burnley earlier this month. The only team to win one of its opening 17 Premier League games and avoid relegation was West Bromwich Albion in 2004-05.
The Magpies are enduring their longest winless away streak from the beginning of a top-flight season since 2012-13, when they went 11 matches without victory.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Van Dijk and Fabinho not in Liverpool squad
Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones have all been excluded from tonight’s match against Newcastle after suspected positive Covid tests. If true, they are just a few of many positive cases across the Premier League.
Tottenham’s match against Leicester tonight was postponed at lunchtime today and five of the weekend’s planned fixtures have already been cancelled.
As it stands the only fixtures set to go ahead this weekend in the top flight are: Aston Villa vs Burnley and Leeds vs Arsenal on Saturday followed by Wolves vs Chelsea, Newcastle vs Man City and Tottenham vs Liverpool on Sunday.
There are positive cases at most of those clubs as well and the possibility of the whole gameweek being called off is becoming increasingly likely.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Goalscoring record in sight for Reds
Liverpool have won seven successive games in all competitions by an aggregate score of 18-2.
They have equalled the club record of scoring in 31 consecutive league and cup matches, set from April 1957 to January 1958 and would create a new record if they score against Newcastle tonight.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Head-to-head
Newcastle have failed to win any of the last 25 away meetings, both in the Premier League and in all competitions.
The Magpies’ most recent league victory at Anfield was in April 1994, and they subsequently won 1-0 away in the League Cup the following year.
Liverpool dropped points in both league encounters last season: 0-0 and 1-1 draws at St James’ Park and Anfield respectively.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Team changes
Jurgen Klopp makes two changes to the Liverpool Xi that started against Aston Villa at the weekend. Ibrahima Konate and Diogo Jota both come into the team with Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho dropping out of the squad.
There are three changes to Eddie Howe’s Newcastle team. Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock all drop to the bench with Ryan Fraser, Isaac Hayden and Jacob Murphy all returning to the starting XI.
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