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Liverpool secured a comfortable 2-0 win against Newcastle United at Anfield in the Premier League on Wednesday, February 26.
As a result, the Reds have now moved a whopping 13 points clear of second-placed Arsenal on 54, having played a game more. Meanwhile, Newcastle drop below both Chelsea and Manchester City as they fall to sixth with 44 points.
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Liverpool made a dominant start to the contest in terms of possession as they looked to keep the ball for lengthy spells of time. They grabbed an early lead which helped release much of the early pressure. Luis Diaz assisted Dominik Szoboszlai for the Reds' opening goal scored in the 11th minute. Unfortunately for them, it was their only shot on target in the first half.
Liverpool attempted four other shots against Newcastle but failed to hit the target. Meanwhile, their opponents could not find their feet without attacking talisman Alexander Isak. With Callum Wilson looking rusty, the Magpies did not have a recognised outlet in the first half. They attempted just one shot but failed to even hit the target with it.
Newcastle trailed their hosts by a goal at the half-time break.
Liverpool made a decent start to the second half as well but were met with good resistance from Newcastle. The visitors did not have much attacking threat of their own, so put in great efforts to minimize the threat posed by their hosts as well. However, this did not hold up for long as Mohamed Salah set up Alexis Mac Allister for the team's second goal after 63 minutes.
Despite having more of the ball in the second half as well, Liverpool managed to attempt just one other shot on target. Chances came at a premium as Newcastle made it a cagey game with their compact shape. However, they could not cause much problems either and failed to hit the target altogether over the course of the match, despite two second-half attempts.
On that note, let's take a look at the Reds' player ratings.
Liverpool Player Ratings
Alisson - 7/10
Alisson had to make just one save throughout the game in one of the most straightforward clean sheets he has earned this season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7/10
He had a decent game in defence, winning three of his four duels, making four clearances, two tackles and one interception.
Ibrahima Konate - 7/10
He won three duels in defence and made two clearances and one tackle and had his work cut out in the absence of Isak.
Virgil van Dijk - 7.5/10
Van Dijk was solid at the back as he won four of his five duels, making six clearances and one tackle. He also played five long balls.
Konstantinos Tsimikas - 7.5/10
Tsimikas had a solid shift at the back as he won six duels, making four tackles and one clearance. He also played three long balls and attempted one shot off-target.
Ryan Gravenberch - 6.5/10
Gravenberch had a decent game in the middle of the park for Liverpool but could not make much of a positive impact.
Alexis Mac Allister - 7/10
He passed the ball with 87% accuracy, including one long ball. He scored from his only attempt on target and also won three duels in midfield.
Mohamed Salah - 7/10
Salah ended up with a goal on a night where he looked slightly off-colour. He played three key passes and grabbed an assist. He also attempted three shots, with just on on target, but could only complete one of 11 dribbles.
Diogo Jota - 6.5/10
Jota had a poor game as he failed to attempt a single shot, played one key pass and won just two of seven duels in defence.
Luis Diaz - 8/10
Diaz passed the ball with 89% accuracy, including five key passes, which also includes one assist. He completed four dribbles as well, and won nine duels in a strong performance.
Substitutes
Cody Gakpo - 6.5/10
He replaced Jota in the second half but could not make much of an impact on the proceedings.
Jarell Quansah - 6.5/10
He replaced Alexander-Arnold late in the game and helped Liverpool close out the contest.
Wataru Endo - 6.5/10
He replaced Gravenberch in the second half and put in a decent performance for the Reds.
Curtis Jones & Darwin Nunez - N/A
The pair came on late and played very few minutes to warrant a rating.
