Mohamed Salah missed a penalty kick, but then scored two goals to help Liverpool beat Newcastle 4-2 in round 20 of the Premier League.

 

Meeting an opponent who was in the top 4 last season, Liverpool held the ball 63% and shot 34 times, including 15 hits in the direction of the goal. Jurgen Klopp’s students have an expected goals (xG) of 7.2, breaking the Premier League record. The two-goal gap did not reflect the true situation of the match, when Liverpool dominated and missed many opportunities. However, the 4-2 victory was enough to help the host consolidate the top spot in the table with three points more than Aston Villa and five points more than Man City and Arsenal.

Liverpool is Newcastle’s enemy when they are unbeaten in their last 15 matches against their Northeast England opponents, including six consecutive victories. In the first leg, despite lacking players, Klopp and his team still won 2-1. Against a formidable opponent, Newcastle played without confidence and could barely get on the ball in the first half. On the other side of the front line, the home team rushed from the beginning of the match and could have scored two goals in the first 10 minutes, if Trent Alexander-Arnold and Darwin Nunez finished better.

 

Liverpool’s attack played like a storm, creating an expected number of goals of up to 2.87 in the first half but could not penetrate Martin Dubravka’s goal. The Newcastle goalkeeper excellently saved Mohamed Salah’s penalty in the 22nd minute along with four other shots. Liverpool was also unlucky in the first 45 minutes, when Alexander-Arnold’s rebound went over the bar and Luis Diaz’s goal was denied because of Nunez’s offside.When unable to score from good opportunities, Liverpool decided to coordinate until the goal was vacant. The opening goal in the 49th minute came after such a situation. Diaz opened the ball out wide for Nunez to stretch in and eliminate Dubravka, creating conditions for Salah to score his 150th goal in the Premier League.

 

In a losing position, Newcastle suddenly equalized just five minutes later. Anthony Gordon dribbled past two Liverpool players and then poked Alexander Isak through to beat Alisson in the face-off. Unlike the first half, Newcastle only kept the score tied for another 20 minutes. Once again, Liverpool coordinated until there was only an empty net in front of them. Salah poked the ball for Diogo Jota to escape and pass to Curtis Jones to increase the score to 2-1 from just five meters away.

Salah’s fingerprints were on all of Liverpool’s goals in this match. On the third goal just four minutes later, the Egyptian superstar crossed to assist Cody Gakpo to finish, also from close range. While creating good pressure, Liverpool was shortened by their opponents when Sean Longstaff headed a goal from a corner. But in the 86th minute, the home team restored order when Salah completed his double.

The penalty that led to Salah’s goal was controversial, as Dubravka’s impact on Jota in the penalty area was unclear. Newcastle players surrounded referee Anthony Taylor but could not change the decision. Outside the touchline, coach Klopp did not dare to watch Salah kick the second penalty. He raised his fist to celebrate the 4-2 score, after hearing cheers in the stands.