Newcastle vs. Liverpool result, highlights and analysis as Nunez and Gakpo see off 10-man hosts

David Lynch

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Newcastle vs. Liverpool result, highlights and analysis as Nunez and Gakpo see off 10-man hosts image

Liverpool reignited their hopes of a Premier League top-four finish as they beat 10-man Newcastle United 2-0 at St James' Park.

The Reds took an early lead through well-worked goals from Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo before Nick Pope was sent off for handling outside his box in desperately attempting to prevent a third.

And, though the hosts made light of their numerical disadvantage in constantly threatening — most notably when Dan Burn struck the bar — Jurgen Klopp's men held on to inflict the Magpies' first league defeat since the two sides met at Anfield in August. 

Liverpool now sit six points behind fourth-placed Newcastle with a game in hand and the prospect of a late charge into fourth looking far likelier than it did just two weeks ago.

As for the Magpies, they must quickly refocus on a League Cup final meeting with Manchester United next weekend, which Pope will now miss through suspension.

Newcastle vs. Liverpool result

  1H 2H Final
Newcastle 0 0 2
Liverpool 2 0 0

Goals:
LIV — Nunez (10th min)
LIV — Gakpo (17th min)

Liverpool's attack can cover multitude of sins

It has been fairly obvious since August that, having neglected their midfield for successive transfer windows, Liverpool are unlikely to be able to control games consistently this season.

But football is all about masking your flaws and, judging by this outing, the Reds are certainly better placed to do that for the remaining games.

The returns of Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, Darwin Nunez's improving consistency, and Cody Gakpo's growing confidence means Klopp's men now look far more likely to outscore their opponents.

They may not have strangled the life out of Newcastle in this one, but they threatened constantly and took their chances — and that bodes incredibly well for the top-four race.

Alisson has never let standards drop

Alisson Becker might be the only Liverpool player who, come the end of this most difficult of seasons, will be able to confidently say that he has never let his world-class standards slip.

The Brazilian was once again in inspired form here and, despite the Reds running out as winners, had a good claim to being man of the match.

Not only did he pull out some big saves at key moments of the game, he also forced Pope's red card with quick thinking and accurate distribution.

Where would Klopp's men be without him? Certainly not in with a shout of Champions League qualification.

Will Nick Pope miss League Cup final?

Yes. Pope's red card would not have represented such a major blow for Newcastle were it not for the fact that back-up goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is cup-tied for the upcoming League Cup final against Manchester United.

The Slovak played for Sunday's opponents in that competition earlier this season before his loan stint at Old Trafford was cut prematurely short.

Consequently, Eddie Howe now faces a difficult choice between former Liverpool man Loris Karius and boyhood Toon fan Mark Gillespie at Wembley.

Karius' last outing for an English club came when he put in a horrorshow performance for the Reds in the 2018 Champions League final — will that history cost him a spot in this one?

Newcastle vs. Liverpool as it happened, highlights

FINAL: Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool

FULLTIME: All over at St James' Park and Liverpool claim a win that could well have given them a slim chance of making a late assault on the Premier League top four. As for Newcastle, their attentions turn to a League Cup final meeting with Manchester United, which Nick Pope is set to miss through suspension after being sent off today.

90th min: Another Jota header goes inches wide of the post! 

This time the Liverpool man was meeting an Alexander-Arnold cross, which he loops back across goal and so nearly sets up Firmino in missing the target.

88th min: Jota misses a huge chance to wrap things up for Liverpool.

The Portuguese is up to head an inswinging cross from the right-hand side but can only nod it wide of the upright when he should have done better.

82nd min: How are Newcastle not back in this game!?

They're down to 10 men but somehow fashion a 3v2 that sees the prolific Wilson played in for a shot at goal.

However, he cannot beat the onrushing Alisson, who has been remarkably good today. 

80th min: Liverpool release the pressure as Alexander-Arnold bursts through midfield but Salah attempts the return pass to set up the shot and it is well cut out by the recovering Ritchie.

77th min: Newcastle dominating possession and probing as Liverpool struggle to get out of their own half.

It's not immediately obvious which of these sides is playing with 10 men, which is a huge credit to the hosts.

71st min: Joelinton now makes way for Ritchie after receiving treatment for a minor knock.

The Brazilian was keen to carry on but his manager was having none of it with a League Cup final coming up.

64th min: Eddie Howe's turn to roll the dice now, with Wilson, Gordon and Murphy coming on for Isak, Trippier and Almiron.

60th min: That's the Uruguayan's last act of the match with it looking like he has struggled to shake off that knock to his shoulder moments ago.

It is, in fact, a quadruple substitution for the visitors, Jota, Elliott, Milner and Firmino coming in for Nunez, Henderson, Bajcetic, and Gakpo.

Clearly, Klopp has one eye on Tuesday's meeting with Real Madrid in the Champions League.

57th min: Nunez scampers away down the left on the break and uses a Robertson dummy run to cut in and smash a powerful shot at the corner that Dubravka does brilliantly to tip around the post.

55th min: Another big chance for Newcastle from a corner!

Schar rises highest to meet it this time but he can't direct the ball goalward and Liverpool get away with another one. They've been poor defensively from set-pieces today.

54th min: Trippier puts in a meaty challenge on Nunez on the byline that results in both men needing a bit of treatment.

However, neither will need to leave the field after being patched up.

52nd min: Isak collects a Maximin cross in the box and gets a left-footed shot away on the turn but it's high and wide from the Swede.

Liverpool still looking vulnerable despite being a man up. 

48th min: A break in play as Longstaff receives treatment after taking a Joelinton clearance full in the face. He'll be okay to continue, though.

46th min: Back under way at St James' Park.

HALFTIME: The whistle sounds at St James' Park and Liverpool are two up and possess a man advantage, but they've been made to work for it. Newcastle have impressed despite losing Nick Pope and could well make this uncomfortable in the second half by scoring next.

45th min (+3): Gomez picks out a beauty of a pass over the top for Salah but he can't quite get the ball under his spell and instead watches it run away for a goalkick.

45th min (+1): Four minutes to be added on at the end of this first half. 

42nd min: So close for Newcastle!

Another dangerous corner delivery comes in and Burn meets it with his head only to see a powerful attempt come back off the bar. 

37th min: Almiron tries to stop Salah getting in behind but only manages to trip the Egyptian and earn himself a yellow card.

Prior to that, Newcastle had made a mockery of their numerical disadvantage in pinning Liverpool back to win a succession of corners. If they could get the next goal...

32nd min: Saint-Maximin giving the Liverpool defence twisted blood in the box before getting a left-footed attempted away that Alisson has to tip onto the top of the crossbar.

Still life in this for Newcastle.

30th min: Incredibly, with Martin Dubravka cup-tied and Nick Pope now suspended, former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius is the likeliest bet to start Newcastle's upcoming League Cup final meeting with Manchester United. 

24th min: Pope's dismissal means Anderson's Premier League debut is already over. He makes way for Dubravka.

21st min: RED CARD! Nick Pope is off!

Alisson collects a poor free-kick delivery into his box and tries to quickly get Salah away on the break with a kick from his hands.

The accuracy of that pass has Pope panicking and, after he misses an attempt to cut the ball out with a diving header miles outside his box, rather foolishly handles it to earn himself a straight red.

It's the right call to dismiss the Englishman but what a hammer blow for him on a personal level: he will now miss the League Cup final due to suspension.

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20th min: Fabinho receives the first booking of the match for a late one on Longstaff, which was entirely unnecessary given that the referee had already given a foul in Newcastle's favour a second before.

Now a promising set-piece opportunity for the hosts.

17th min: GOAL! Liverpool double their advantage through Gakpo!

The Dutchman sneaks in behind to collect a brilliant first-time Salah ball over the top and his touch and finish give the onrushing Pope zero chance.

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15th min: Alexander-Arnold plays a delicious low cross from the right that forces Trippier to clear in desperate fashion.

Liverpool looking unusually confident given their patchy recent form.

10th min: GOAL! Liverpool take the lead!

Nunez latches onto a perfectly weighted Alexander-Arnold ball over the top and controls it neatly before emphatically smashing beyond Pope.

Trippier appeals for handball from the Uruguayan, but replays show no sign of that.

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4th min: Almiron sneaks back into an onside position to receive the ball in acres of space inside the box but Alisson is out quickly to smother in trademark style.

That was a big opportunity. 

1st min: Jordan Henderson gets the game under way.

2 mins from kickoff: A minute's applause at St James' Park in tribute to Christian Atsu, whose wife and three young children are in attendance.

10 mins from kickoff: Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to Sky Sports: "I can't announce the fight for the Champions League places yet - we need to collect points, we need consistency - if we can decrease the distance [to Newcastle], that is always helpful and that is what we will try to do today."

20 mins from kickoff: Allan Saint-Maximin paying an emotional tribute to former Newcastle teammate Christian Atsu ahead of kickoff after it was confirmed that the Ghanaian had been tragically killed in the recent earthquakes in Turkey. A truly sad loss.

30 mins from kickoff: How important could this man be this afternoon?

40 mins from kickoff: So, with injuries biting, Eddie Howe opts to hand Elliot Anderson his first ever Premier League start in an attacking midfield role. And if the Magpies are chasing a goal late on, they could certainly do worse than throwing on Callum Wilson. 

As for Liverpool, they try and keep things consistent by selecting the same side that beat Everton on Monday, apart from the significant boost of welcoming back Virgil van Dijk.

1 hr from kickoff: The team news is in!

Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, S. Longstaff, Joelinton, Anderson, Saint-Maximin, Almiron, Isak

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic, Nunez, Gakpo, Salah.

1.5 hrs from kickoff: Liverpool kick off a decisive week in their season today as they face top-four rivals Newcastle at St James' Park ahead of a midweek meeting with Real Madrid in the Champions League. Do they have any chance of eating at Europe's top table again next season? This afternoon's action will go a long way to deciding. 

Newcastle vs Liverpool lineups

With Eddie Howe's options significantly reduced by an injury crisis, Elliot Anderson comes in for a rare start in attack for the Magpies. He is partnered by Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin after they were both passed fit, but forward Callum Wilson is only available to start on the bench.

Newcastle predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1): Pope (GK) — Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn — S. Longstaff, Joelinton — Almiron, Anderson, Saint-Maximin — Isak

Subs: Dubravka, Dummett, Lascelles, Gordon, Wilson, Ritchie, Lewis, Manquillo, Murphy

Klopp recalled Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk to the squad for Monday's win over Everton but only the latter starts on Tyneside. The Reds are otherwise unchanged from the team that earned three points from the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool predicted starting XI (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson — Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic — Salah, Gakpo, Nunez

Subs: Kelleher, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Phillips, Matip

What time is Newcastle vs Liverpool?

This Premier League clash kicks off at St. James' Park on Saturday, February 18 at 5:30 p.m. local time.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

  Date Kickoff time
Australia Sun, Feb. 19 04:30 AEDT
Canada Sat, Feb. 18 12:30 ET
Hong Kong Sun, Feb. 19 01:30 HKT
India Sat, Feb. 18 23:00 IST
Malaysia Sun, Feb. 19 01:30 MYT
New Zealand Sun, Feb. 19 06:30 NZDT
Singapore Sun, Feb. 19 01:30 SGT
UK Sat, Feb. 18 17:30 GMT
USA Sat, Feb. 18 12:30 ET

Newcastle vs Liverpool live stream, TV channel

  TV channel Streaming
USA NBC, Universo fuboTV, Peacock, Universo NOW
Canada — fuboTV
UK Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League Sky GO
Australia — Optus Sport
New Zealand Sky Sport Premier League Sky Sport NOW
India — Hotstar VIP, JioTV
Hong Kong — Now E, Now Player
Malaysia Astro SuperSport 3 Astro Go, sooka
Singapore Hub Premier 1 (Ch. 221) StarHub TV+

UK: Matches are carried across Sky Sports and BT Sport streaming and TV platforms, with select matches on Amazon Prime.

USA: Select matches are televised on USA Network (English) and Telemundo or Universo (Spanish), and all three channels can be streamed on fuboTV. The rest of the matches are streamed on NBC platform Peacock for subscribers.

Canada: Every Premier League game this season is live streamed exclusively via fuboTV in Canada.

Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on demand on Optus Sport. 

India: Star Sports network has the rights to show Premier League matches in India. As well as an English broadcast on Star Sports Select, select matches will be available via regional feeds on Star Sports 3 (in Bengali, English, Kannada, Malayalam), Star Sports 1 (Bangla) and Star Sports 1 (Tamil).

David Lynch

David Lynch Photo

David Lynch is a freelance football journalist primarily covering Liverpool FC. He has reported on the the Reds for over a decade for publications such as the Sunday Mirror and Evening Standard, carving out a reputation as a trusted voice on all things Anfield in the process. Having followed Liverpool across England and Europe over the course of his career, David has filed from illustrious venues such as Camp Nou, the Allianz Arena and the Estadio do Dragao, as well as from multiple Champions League finals.