Newcastle vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Naby Keita nets winner
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool: Follow reaction as the Reds edge past the Magpies to leapfrog Man City atop the Premier League table
Naby Keita ensured Liverpool’s quadruple hopes remain very much alive as he fired them to victory at in-form Newcastle to keep up the pressure on Premier League title rivals Manchester City.
Keita’s assured first-half finish was enough to claim a 1-0 win at St James’ Park on a day when Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was able to rest Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah from his startling line-up ahead of Tuesday’s decisive Champions League semi-final trip to Villarreal.
Liverpool might - and probably should - have won more comfortably in front of a boisterous crowd of 52,281 as they held the upper hand for much of a contest which saw the Magpies’ hopes of a fifth successive league win and a seventh on the trot at home wilt in the face of almost constant pressure.
Eddie Howe’s men were never able to build up the kind of head of steam which has eased them clear of the relegation battle, perhaps a reminder of how far they have to go before they can once again compete with English football’s best on a sustained basis.
Follow all the reaction from a crucial Reds win at St James’ Park below:
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool
He is how the deadlock was broken through Liverpool’s Naby Keita.
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool
30 mins: Guimaraes wins a foul deep inside the Liverpool half on the right touchline. Milner the culprate.
Shelvery delivers and Robertson heads powerfully clear at the near post. Newcastle will need to do more with set-pieces like those if they are to put pressure on the Liverpool back line this afternoon.
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool
28 mins: St James’ Park is getting quite aggressive now. They are willing their players on, but they can also feel that Liverpool are getting on top.
Here’s a half chance for the hosts though. They find Saint-Maximin on the edge of the area and he tries to let fly but catches his attempt all wrong as it trickles wide.
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool
27 mins: Liverpool come forward dangerously again. Keita finds Diaz on the right side of the penalty area. He breezes past Targett and for a moment looks like he could go down but decides to stay on his feet. He pulls it back into the centre but Shelvey clears.
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool
25 mins: It was a fair challenge from Milner on Schar and we came to the right decision with that goal.
It was a lovely interchange between Keita and Jota to allow the Guinean the time and space to round Dubravka and fire into the net.
Great goal. Newcastle frustrated but they’ll need to get on with it.
Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool
23 mins: This will be a major test of Newcastle’s character here now. Liverpool could run away with the game if they are not careful.
GOAL! Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool (Keita, 19)
19 mins: Liverpool make the breakthrough and it’s Naby Keita.
Controversy as Schar is caught by Milner but referee Andre Marriner plays on. Keita plays a neat one-two with Jota and then leaves Dubravka on the floor before firing past three Newcastle players on the line.
The VAR Mike Dean had a look but Milner got the ball ahead of Schar. Goal stands.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
18 mins: Mane’s sloppy pass into Jota is intercepted by Burn and Newcastle try to break immediately. They play it straight up towards Saint-Maximin and for a moment he looks to be the favourite ahead of Alisson but the Brazilian crucially gets there just in front of him to put it out for a throw.
Interesting game. Liverpool with the ball, Newcastle with the pace on the break.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
16 mins: Mane and Jota are switching between the centre and left-hand side. Diaz is the one of the three sticking to his position on the right.
And there’s a chance! Diaz works it out to Gomez on the right and he sends a low ball towards Mane at the back post but Krafth gets in front of him to clear it away from danger.
Flag was up as Mane strayed a little beyond Newcastle’s defensive line, but Krafth wasn’t to know that. Good defending.
Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool
14 mins: Liverpool beginning to enjoy more lengthy spells of possession. Jordan Henderson is receiving boos from the Newcastle fans as a former Sunderland player.
Van Dijk tries to find Jota with a diagonal ball from the halfway line but it’s out of play for a Newcastle throw.
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