Newcastle United 1-3 Liverpool: 5 Talking Points as Reds cruise to club-record points tally | Premier League 2019-20

Liverpool beat Newcastle 3-1 at St. James' Park
Liverpool beat Newcastle 3-1 at St. James' Park

Liverpool finished off their title season with a come-from-behind 3-1 win away to Newcastle United. The win meant that the Reds finished the season with a club-record 99 points, as they finished 18 points ahead of Manchester City, who beat Norwich 5-0 on the final day.

Dwight Gayle scored within the first minute to jolt the champions early, but the Reds got back on level terms late in the first half thanks to a header from Virgil van Dijk. Divock Origi and Sadio Mane scored in the second half to ensure a winning end to a landmark Liverpool season.

With little riding on the outcome of this game for either side, Jurgen Klopp took the opportunity to rest some of his regular starters. His famed front three, Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold all started on the bench, and young right-back Neco Williams was given another Premier League start. The front three comprised of Takumi Minamino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Origi.

Here, we take a look at the major talking points from the game.


#1 Liverpool need quality in depth

Divock Origi scored, but it was not a complete performance from the Belgian
Divock Origi scored, but it was not a complete performance from the Belgian

The first half of the game must have showed Jurgen Klopp where his side could do with some strengthening before the start of next season.

In the absence of the most feared strike-force in Europe, of Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool are just not as sharp or dynamic in the final third, and more often than not, they are easy to defend against.

Minamino is still new at Anfield, and is learning the hymns off the song-sheet, but he's still not on the same page as the rest of his team-mates. Origi is a scorer of clutch goals and tormentor of some of the biggest teams in the world, but week in, week out, he fails to produce any kind of consistency. Even when he is scoring goals, he's not exactly the kind of player who fits the dynamism needed in a Klopp front three.

Oxlade-Chamberlain in action against Newcastle
Oxlade-Chamberlain in action against Newcastle

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who started this game on the right flank, had another middling game. He was anonymous before springing to life by ghosting past Danny Rose on the flank to float one for Van Dijk, who rose highest to guide a header past Dubravka.

Klopp made a change at the hour mark, taking all three of the starting front players off to bring on his tried and tested artillery. Liverpool's attacking play just flowed a lot better with Firmino, Salah and Mane.

With rumours of Xherdan Shaqiri and Origi possibly leaving this summer, the Reds would do well to bring in another back-up at the front, and will obviously hope that Minamino learns the Anfield script before too long.


#2 Naby Keita impresses yet again

Keita has been among Liverpool's best players since the Premier League restart
Keita has been among Liverpool's best players since the Premier League restart

For someone that Liverpool paid the big bucks for, it is obvious that the Guinean midfielder hasn't paid them back in kind yet, but the signs are bright for Naby Keita heading into next season.

Just a few days after scoring a howitzer against Chelsea on party night at Anfield, Keita put in yet another strong showing in midfield, with his composure in possession a standout trait.

Heading into next season, a midfielder with Keita's ability would suit Liverpool to the ground, as Klopp strives to build a team that aren't just one-trick-ponies with the incredible full-backs that they have.

With more teams striving to block the full-back route that Liverpool take, having Keita in the middle of the park to drive forward and create opportunities is yet another arrow in Klopp's quiver. He will be important for Klopp as the German looks for ways to ensure that his incredible Liverpool side can improve on their current near-perfection.


#3 Newcastle just didn't have enough ammunition

Steve Bruce has had an excellent first season in charge of Newcastle
Steve Bruce has had an excellent first season in charge of Newcastle

Jonjo Shelvey's quick thinking and Dwight Gayle's quickness of feet ensured that Newcastle got off to the dream start, with a goal within the first minute. That meant that the Magpies could sit back in their shape and use the pace of Gayle, Miguel Almiron, and Allan Saint-Maximin on the counter-attack.

But once the early goal jolted Liverpool, they were alert to the threat of the counter-attack, and with the pace of Joe Gomez, Van Dijk, and Robertson at the back, they could deal with it.

But once Van Dijk equalised, and Origi put the Reds ahead, Newcastle had to come out and play some attacking football if they were to get a result. They brought on Joelinton and Andy Carroll as their attacking subs, and that was an indication of the outstanding job that Steve Bruce has done on Tyneside, with his two main striking options just not being savvy enough in front of goal.

Newcastle had to be a little more expansive, and that left gaps in their shape at the back. With the likes of Mane, Firmino and Salah lurking, that was always going to be a dangerous situation for the Magpies, and after Salah spurned a couple of golden opportunities, Mane finally put the game to bed.


#4 The Mohamed Salah paradox

Salah was denied by a stunning Federico Fernandez tackle while he was through on goal
Salah was denied by a stunning Federico Fernandez tackle while he was through on goal

Just a couple of days ago, it was announced that Mo Salah received no votes for the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award. On face value, that seemed ridiculous for someone who scored 19 goals and assisted ten this Premier League season. But, such are the standards that Salah has set for himself, that such a return seems inadequate.

This game summed up Salah's season rather accurately. He came on for the last half-an-hour and was nigh-on unplayable for the most of his stay on the pitch. He tormented Matt Ritchie and Danny Rose by taking up the space in between them, and produced some moments of absolute class.

But he had four clear-cut opportunities, which he probably should have taken, even in those thirty minutes on the pitch. He hit the post with his first touch after giving Dubravka the eyes. He then was denied by a stunning Federico Fernandez tackle while he was through on goal. He then failed to control a simple pass from Wijnaldum that would have given him a one-on-one with Dubravka.

Mo Salah endured a frustrating cameo on the final day of the season
Mo Salah endured a frustrating cameo on the final day of the season

The fourth chance was clearcut, but still, the toughest of the lot, as he put a curler well over the bar.

This has been the story of Salah's season. It's been all well and good that Liverpool have ended up as champions. However, their Egyptian King will look back and wonder if, on an individual level, he could have produced another season similar to his last two, and whether he could have won a third straight Golden Boot.


#5 Where do Liverpool go from here?

Newcastle United v Liverpool FC - Premier League
Newcastle United v Liverpool FC - Premier League

Champions. 99 points. 196 points in the last two seasons out of a total of 228 on offer. How do you improve on that? Along with Pep Guardiola's sensational Manchester City side, Klopp's Liverpool are as close to perfection as any Premier League side has ever been. So how does the charismatic German now ensure that he puts a team out, starting the 12th of September, that stays hungry, continues to win games of football, and maybe even improve on near-perfection, who knows?

It's clear that Liverpool's first team is as good as any the Premier League has to offer. But there are a couple of areas that Klopp will want to fine-tune. For example, the two full-backs are genuinely in a league of their own. What if, for some reason, Klopp has to go into a significant game without either of them? Do Liverpool have an alternate source through which they can impact games?

There is a clear pathway for three amazingly talented youngsters in Curtis Jones, Neco Williams and Harvey Elliott, but with all being teenagers just now, would it be wise to burden them in big games for a side that is chasing perfection? Maybe not.

Klopp is in an enviable position this summer, no doubt, but he still has work to do. This Liverpool team might have been crowned the best in the land, but there is a feeling that they can be even better over the next couple of years.

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Edited by Sai Teja
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