Liverpool v Newcastle United: Premier League – live!
Newcastle #Newcastle
9.35am EDT 09:35
Liverpool move into sixth place, on 54 points. That’s one ahead of Spurs, but they’re still a point behind Chelsea and West Ham, who play out their extra game later this evening. Liverpool have now shipped four precious points late on in their last two games, and while their top-four hopes aren’t yet extinguished, this week has been a huge blow. And that’s before we even get to that ESL nonsense! Newcastle meanwhile consolidate 15th spot, on 36 points; they’re now nine clear of the dropzone, having played the same number of matches as 18th-placed Fulham. A great day for Steve Bruce, not so much for Jurgen Klopp.
9.31am EDT 09:31
That’s almost certainly put an end to Liverpool’s hopes of salvaging something from their season with a top-four finish. They couldn’t get that crucial second goal, despite carving out a plethora of opportunities, and Newcastle deservedly punished them. The hosts were even thrown a huge lifeline with a contentious late VAR decision that ruled out Wilson’s late goal, but couldn’t take advantage, and they were sent spinning with the last kick of the game. “I’m happy to help the team,” says the Newcastle hero Joe Willock. “Apart from the sloppy goal we gave away, the boys did well again. I’m just trying to give my best. I’m really enjoying my football at Newcastle. I’m not too sure about the VAR decision, but we didn’t lose confidence. It shows how much we’ve grown in the last two weeks. What we are showing on the pitch is brilliant and if it continues we are safe for sure.”
9.25am EDT 09:25
FULL TIME: Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle United
Liverpool had all those chances … and now look! Willock celebrates wildly as Salah storms down the tunnel in despair. No more than both teams deserve, for wildly differing reasons.
Joe Willock celebrates scoring the late equaliser with manager Steve Bruce. Photograph: Paul Ellis/Reuters
Updated at 9.28am EDT
9.24am EDT 09:24
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle United (Willock 90 +5)
What drama here! A simple long ball ins’t cleared. Gayle heads down into the path of Willock, whose shot is deflected past Alisson and into the corner!
Joe Willock fires in the late equaliser. Photograph: David Klein/PA
Updated at 9.40am EDT
9.23am EDT 09:23
90 min +4: That’s a huge decision, and one that could have saved Liverpool’s hopes of a top-four finish. It was probably the correct decision, but it’s so unfortunate for Newcastle.
9.22am EDT 09:22
NO GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle United
VAR saves Liverpool! The ball sprung up off Alisson onto the top of Wilson’s arm. The goal’s chalked off!
9.21am EDT 09:21
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle United (Wilson 90+2)
This had been coming! Wilson is sent scampering down the middle! He beats Kabak and Alexander-Arnold and shoots at Alisson, who parries. The ball pings up towards Wilson, who bundles over!
Callum Wilson bundles in, but not before it hits his arm. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters
Updated at 9.26am EDT
9.19am EDT 09:19
90 min: Murphy works his way down the right, reaches the byline, and stands one up for three team-mates in the middle. Fabinho flicks over for a corner, under severe pressure, and nothing comes from the set piece. There will be four added minutes.
9.18am EDT 09:18
89 min: Newcastle suddenly spring out from the back, with Saint-Maximin preparing to launch a speedy counter down the left. Fabinho comes across and executes the perfect cynical body-check. He happily takes the booking for the team. Newcastle, as you can imagine, are far from pleased.
9.15am EDT 09:15
87 min: Some nervous head tennis in the Liverpool box suggests the hosts know full well that this is not yet over.
9.15am EDT 09:15
86 min: Thing is, this surely can’t end 1-0, can it? So many opportunities, so many chances. Mainly for the hosts, but Newcastle have had their moments. Which way is this going, then?
9.13am EDT 09:13
85 min: Almiron makes way for Gayle, who famously did for Liverpool’s hopes in 2014 while at Crystal Palace. Those in the away end at Selhurst Park that day are permitted one large shudder.
Updated at 9.14am EDT
9.12am EDT 09:12
84 min: Now it’s Almiron’s turn to go down with cramp. Bulk order of salt for St James’ Park, please!
9.11am EDT 09:11
82 min: Firmino barges his way through a couple of challenges down the inside-left channel, but his subsequent pass forward for Mane has too much juice, and Fernandez can shepherd it out for a goal kick.
9.09am EDT 09:09
81 min: … Milner shoots again from distance, but Liverpool’s 21st attempt sails straight at Dubravka, who claims confidently.
9.09am EDT 09:09
80 min: Alexander-Arnold finds Mane down the left with a glorious rake. Mane shoots low, towards the bottom left. Dubravka palms wide. From the corner, Milner’s shot is deflected and loops out for a corner on the right. And from that …
9.08am EDT 09:08
79 min: Milner, Firmino and Salah combine crisply to open up Newcastle down the right. Milner, in space just to the right of the six-yard box, chips delicately towards the far stick, but it’s a couple of inches too high for Mane, who can only eyebrow the ball away from goal.
9.05am EDT 09:05
77 min: Thiago, who has been excellent today, makes way for Jones.
9.04am EDT 09:04
75 min: Alexander-Arnold’s free kick pings off the wall and out for a corner. Roberson takes. Fernandez heads clear. Thiago meets the dropping ball on the edge of the D, cushioning it to Alexander-Arnold, who volleys a Le Tissieresque screamer inches wide of the top left. So close to a goal for the ages!
Updated at 9.06am EDT
9.02am EDT 09:02
74 min: Longstaff plays a dismal pass out from the back. Mane intercepts and slips Salah into space down the right. Salah enters the box but only ruffles the side netting. Newcastle learn nothing, shipping possession cheaply again, and this time Thiago is barged over by Saint-Maximin. Free kick, in Alexander-Arnold Country, just to the left of centre, 25 yards out.
9.01am EDT 09:01
73 min: Fernandez goes down with cramp, then after a good old rub, gets back up again.
8.58am EDT 08:58
70 min: Ritchie shovels a pass down the left for Wilson, who is offside this time, but is clearly bothering the Liverpool back line.
8.58am EDT 08:58
69 min: Almiron threads a lovely pass down the right for Wilson, who takes his first run at the Liverpool defence. He spreads the play wide left for Ritchie, who can’t find anyone in the centre. Alexander-Arnold blocks and clears. But that’s better from Newcastle, who had gone quiet for a bit.
8.56am EDT 08:56
68 min: Salah plays a cute reverse pass down the right channel to release Milner, who should stride on and take a whack, but unselfishly opts for a quick return pass. The move breaks down and the Toon clear their lines.
8.55am EDT 08:55
66 min: Corner for Liverpool on the right. Alexander-Arnold takes. Dummett clears. At long last, this game has calmed down a bit. Meanwhile Jon Collin writes: “I applaud Mr Millings for playing fast and loose with the definition of ‘best XI’ in order to shoehorn Randi Q. Sexhair in there.”
8.53am EDT 08:53
65 min: Willock comes on for Clark, as Steve Bruce responds to his opposite number’s midfield-bolstering antics.
8.53am EDT 08:53
64 min: Robertson advances and whistles a low diagonal shot inches wide of Newcastle’s right-hand post.
8.52am EDT 08:52
63 min: Liverpool stroke it around, but without the speed and precision of the first half. “See, this is why you need the Super League,” begins Paul Griffin. “Libpool are dominating the game but not killing it off, and their wastefulness is risking John W Henry’s earnings before tax, interest, depreciation and amortisation. The boot room would surely have concurred.”
8.51am EDT 08:51
61 min: Shelvey plays a strange pass back to Dubravka from deep inside Liverpool’s half! The keeper struggles to control the bouncing ball, and is nearly robbed by Mane, but the bounce is kind to Newcastle and the ball deflects away to safety. That was all fairly odd. A weird decision by the Newcastle captain.
8.48am EDT 08:48
60 min: Callum Wilson, who led Everton a merry dance on Merseyside earlier this year, replaces Joelinton.
8.47am EDT 08:47
58 min: Jurgen Klopp decides to tighten things up a bit. Off goes Jota, who has been uncharacteristically profligate today. On comes former Newcastle midfielder James Milner.
8.45am EDT 08:45
57 min: And so it continues. Alexander-Arnold curls in from the right. The ball drops to Firmino, who creams one goalwards from a tight angle on the right. Dubravka parries well.
Trent Alexander-Arnold in action against Joelinton . Photograph: Clive Brunskill/EPA
Updated at 8.56am EDT
8.44am EDT 08:44
55 min: A simple ball down the middle, and Liverpool are exposed. Joelinton enters the area and blasts a low, hard shot straight at Alisson. This second half has picked up where the first half left off, open as you like, with a basketball rhythm.
8.41am EDT 08:41
53 min: Shelvey crosses from the right. Alexander-Arnold wins the aerial challenge, but bundles Joelinton over in doing so. Newcastle claim loudly for a penalty, but they’re never getting one for that.
8.39am EDT 08:39
51 min: Shelvey scoops a fine pass down the inside-right channel for Joelinton. He’s clear, but can’t reach the ball in time, Alisson coming out to smother at his feet and paw it away.
8.38am EDT 08:38
50 min: Some space for Saint-Maximin down the left, but there’s nobody infield to look for. He eventually runs out of road and whips into Alisson’s grateful arms.
8.36am EDT 08:36
48 min: Salah works his way infield from the right and feeds Firmino, who spins on the right-hand edge of the Newcastle D and shoots towards the bottom right. It’s an easy claim for Dubravka.
8.35am EDT 08:35
Newcastle get the second half underway. No changes. Meanwhile here’s Shaun Wilkinson: “In response to Digvijay Yadav, the first 4-3 was every bit as good as people say. The one in the following season, on the other hand, was a poor game. Liverpool went 3-0 up without breaking sweat, then decided the game was over and before you knew it, it was 3-3. 60 seconds of injury time went up on the board, but after 90 seconds, Liverpool scored and the ref blew for full-time as soon as Newcastle kicked off again. I’m not bitter though.” We were all getting ready for a third 4-3 in a row, too, but then Princess Diana died the night before and the match was postponed. When it was finally rescheduled a few months later, it was a tedious 1-0 win for Liverpool.
8.29am EDT 08:29
Some more half-time entertainment, courtesy of everyone’s favourite Saturday morning layabout, Mac Millings. “I’ve taken the best XI from these two sides, and turned them into a Liverpool-Newcastle anagram XI. I’ve no idea why. Bonus points if you can work out who’s who, or something.
8.24am EDT 08:24
Just like the Oscar Peterson Trio, we get requests. “For those of us too young to remember the 4-3, can you please confirm whether it is all that it’s cracked up to be or is it one of those games whose reputation is embellished by the passage of time?” asks Digvijay Yadav. Your wish is my command, Digvijay. So, for your entertainment and edification, there’s this …
Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle United: Premier League 1996 – as it happened!
… and also this episode of Nessun Dorma podcast. Enjoy!
8.19am EDT 08:19
HALF TIME: Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle United
How is this only 1-0? There is no logical explanation. Liverpool have passed up an absurd number of chances … but Newcastle could easily have notched two or three themselves. Great fun. More please!
8.17am EDT 08:17
45 min +1: Jota crosses from the left. Mane heads wide. This is getting old.
8.16am EDT 08:16
45 min: There will be two extra minutes. Time for six or seven more chances, then. “It says something about the nature of Liverpool’s season that I’m increasingly convinced Newcastle are going to equalise in the 85th minute, if not before,” sighs Tony Barr. “Probably Shelvey from 30 yards. I was going to make a reference to him shying away from crosses, but not sure how many Athletico Mince listeners are in today.”
8.15am EDT 08:15
44 min: Salah bustles down the middle and feeds Alexander-Arnold on the right. Alexander-Arnold whips a low cross towards Mane, who falls backwards as he sidefoots wide right from ten yards. Another fine chance goes begging.
8.12am EDT 08:12
40 min: The number of chances Liverpool have passed up is becoming preposterous. Salah, sent clear down the right by Alexander-Arnold, rolls infield to tee up Mane on the penalty spot. He’s one on one with Dubravka, and inexplicably gifts the keeper the ball as he tries to round him in super slo-mo.
Martin Dubravka denies Mohamed Salah. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Updated at 8.14am EDT
8.11am EDT 08:11
39 min: Incidentally, Jota and Murphy have fallen out, after toppling on top of each other, Jota standing on Murphy’s thigh, Murphy on Jota’s chest. The referee waves play on, but let’s keep an eye on this duel.
8.09am EDT 08:09
38 min: It’s end-to-end entertainment. Up one end, Firmino nearly gets a header on goal; up the other, Joelinton is denied a free run at Alisson by Alexander-Arnold’s telescopic leg. Then yet another chance for Jota, who one-twos with Firmino down the right before wafting a shot straight at the keeper. How on earth is this still only 1-0?
8.07am EDT 08:07
36 min: From a tight spot on the left, Firmino flicks a gorgeous ball down the middle to release Salah on goal. Salah never quite gets the ball under control, though he should still have scored. But he shoots straight at Dubravka, who nevertheless saves brilliantly. He shouldn’t have been given the chance.
8.06am EDT 08:06
35 min: Liverpool have had 83 percent possession during the last five minutes. And yet Newcastle look dangerous every time they nick the ball and attempt to break. Liverpool are in fear of Saint-Maximin, and who could ever blame them?
8.04am EDT 08:04
33 min: Jota, Mane and Thiago draw some pretty triangles down the middle. They nearly open Newcastle up, but the visitors hold firm. This is a lovely free-flowing game, both sides looking more than capable of troubling the other.
8.02am EDT 08:02
31 min: Saint-Maximin is basically unplayable when he gets going. Here he is, surrounded by four red shirts … and he still wins the throw! He’s such an entertaining player. Liverpool are only just keeping him at arm’s length.
Allan Saint-Maximin is proving a challenge for the Liverpool defence. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AP
Updated at 8.09am EDT
8.00am EDT 08:00
29 min: From 12 yards, Jota scuffs his third chance in quick succession wide left. What a chance to double Liverpool’s lead! It came about as Clark faffed around in the grand style while playing out from the back, gifting the hosts possession.