Newcastle 0 – 2 Liverpool

Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo scored as Liverpool closed the gap on fourth place to six points with a 2-0 win over 10-man Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday Night Football.

Liverpool were put on hold by the hosts early on, but quickly made it 2-0 against the run of play with goals from Nunez (10) and Gakpo (17).

Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was then sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity with a handball outside the box (22). The England international will now miss next Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.

Undeterred by going down, Newcastle continued to look the most dangerous as Alisson parried Allan Saint-Maximin’s left-footed strike off the bar before Dan Burn and Fabian Schar missed excellent chances with headers from set-pieces. one side breaks.

There was a minute’s applause before the game for former Newcastle striker Christian Atsu, who was found dead on Monday morning in the rubble of his home following the earthquake in Turkey almost two weeks ago.

Liverpool have now done the double of Newcastle this season – and remain the only team to have beaten them in the Premier League – as they move up to eighth. The Magpies, meanwhile, are currently on a four game winless run in the league ahead of their big game at Wembley against Man Utd.

How Liverpool can beat Newcastle again

Liverpool were second best in the opening exchanges as Alisson denied Miguel Almiron with a big hand as the visitors struggled to cope with Newcastle’s intensity. But it was the Reds who took the lead when Trent Alexander-Arnold picked out a wide-open Nunez behind the Magpies’ defense before he emphatically converted after 10 minutes to silence St James’ Park.

Newcastle stayed on top but it was Liverpool who attacked next. Gakpo linked with Mo Salah’s excellent dinked pass before the Pope made it two goals in two after taking six games to score following his move from PSV in January.

The game broke for Newcastle after Pope was sent off for a deliberate handball to deny Salah a goal-scoring chance, becoming the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to concede twice and receive a red card in 22 minutes.

Newcastle refused to give up as Saint-Maximin ran past a ragged Liverpool defender before seeing a left-footed effort tipped onto the bar by Alisson after half an hour. Burn then hit the bar with a header before the break with a chance that probably should have scored from.

The Magpies were still on top in the second half as Saint-Maximin dragged his team forward with a fine individual performance before Schar missed a free header from a corner, sending his effort wide, with Liverpool looking weak at the set-piece.

Nunez tested Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka with a similar low effort before leaving with a shoulder injury. Joelinton was also taken off prematurely with a hamstring strain as Eddie Howe refused to take a chance ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wembley.

Diogo Jota was one of Liverpool’s players brought on from the bench and could have scored several times had his finishing been sharper. Newcastle also had a chance to pull one back through substitute Callum Wilson on the break but he was denied by Liverpool’s best player Alisson.

Liverpool, who have now ended a three-game losing streak away from home, have found form in good time ahead of a month of fixtures that includes a Champions League last 16 tie against Real Madrid and the visit of fierce Premier League rivals Man Utd.

Klopp: Great result but room for improvement

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sports: “A great result, a clean sheet, two good goals and room for improvement. I think it’s great – the red card could have been a good goal if the Pope didn’t get the ball.

“Against 10 men, we didn’t react well. Newcastle won’t lose again. You can see that they are a top team with the best character – they threw everything on the pitch. And we gave them a lot of set pieces.

“The most negative thing is Darwin [Nunez] must go. We’ll have to see how serious it is – hopefully not too much. We have to fight these things. The third goal would have been very useful, but we had to fight until the end.

“Relief from 2-0, red card, and suddenly one step less and the rhythm is lost. I wish we could have done better, but in the end I am very happy to have finished. line.

“Diogo [Jota] can count. Bobby [Firmino] start really and then lose two or three balls that pretty much give a counter-attack. Getting through this is the next step for them. Virgil [van Dijk], playing 90 minutes is hard for him. Everything else is great.”

Howe: I support players to break out of this spell

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe told Sky Sports: “A lot happened in the game, a good start from us and we had the first chance of the game. We conceded two goals which was not ours.

“Against these types of teams, that’s the last thing you want to see, especially with the score line. I feel really sorry for Nick. [Pope]. It was very difficult, he came out and misjudged the ball a bit, I think technically it was a handball, I don’t know the rules on the red card.

“I thought there was an angle with the defenders going back towards the goal, but that was given. I thought the reaction was really good from the team. If we could have got the next goal, we had a route back into the game but it never happened.

“I’ve had a spell like this in my managerial career where you create chances and goals don’t come. But I support the players to get out of it, we have too much quality not to.”

Saint-Maximin: It’s a bad day, I’m sorry for the Pope

Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin told Sky Sports: “It’s a very bad day. I’m sad for Nick Pope because he’s trying to help the team. It’s a bad red card for the team because he won’t be able to play [Carabao] cup final. He helped us to be in that situation, so we have to support him and be a team.

“I think we played very well. We had the first chance with Miggy [Almiron] and after that immediately count. It hurts, but we just keep trying to make more chances. Even with 10 people, we still played very well. We still have a lot of chances, so I feel very positive that we can play with 10 people.

“Even if Liverpool are not in the top position now, they are still a good team. They showed it today. I think we have to focus on the cup matches, but I am very disappointed about this game. It is always important to win before important games.

“The real positive is that even with 10 men – they are still playing in the Champions League – we played well and created many chances to come back. We can be very proud, because I know many teams in this situation. will not create the chances that we created.

“I believe we can cause Manchester United a lot of problems.”

What’s next?

Newcastle’s The next game is a meeting with Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final – with the Magpies one game away from lifting their first major trophy in 68 years – on February 26, live at Sky Sports; kick-off 4.30pm.

Eddie Howe’s team then returned to Premier League action in Manchester City Friday, March 4; kick-off 12.30pm.

Liverpool’s attention now goes to the Champions League, with Real Madrid visit Anfield for the last 16 tie on Tuesday; kick-off at 8pm.

Jurgen Klopp’s side then get back to work in the Premier League on Saturday with a trip to Crystal Palacelife goes on Sky Sports; kick-off 7.45pm.