HIGHLIGHT: Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool

Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool LIVE: Dan Burn hits the bar with a header as Eddie Howe’s 10 men look to get back on the pitch after a disastrous 30th-minute opener

History of the middle

Well, where do we start?

Newcastle nearly broke out of the traps and flew forward with eager energy, but it was the visitors who took the lead through Nunez, who was unmarked from the edge of the area and his shot went past Pope.

And then, just seven minutes later, in the 17th minute, Gakpo had doubled his lead after a simply sublime ball over the top from Salah to leave Newcastle 2-0 up early.

The Magpies continued their valiant attacking attempts, but a rush of blood to the head saw Pope sent off – and suspended for the all-important Carabao Cup final with Man United next week – for hand ball outside his box .

Howe was forced into a reshuffle, putting Anderson in for Dubravka, and it nearly paid off when Burn rattled the bar just before the break. But the Magpies failed to achieve anything at half-time and now have a full 45 minutes to maintain their 100% record at St. James’ Park tonight.

45′ Four more minutes

At the end of this time, four minutes are added.

To be honest we had two goals, both controlled by VAR and a big red card too.

43′ Newcastle defends well

Newcastle defend well and manage to break away for a pass about 20 yards from the touchline.

Liverpool opted to go back in goal and take some sting from this – probably a wise choice given the way Newcastle reacted to a man down. 43′ Corner kick for Liverpool

It’s now a corner for Liverpool, after Alexander-Arnold’s cross bounced off a defender.

41′ Off the crossbar!

Oh, it was close!

The ball came from Trippier to Burn in the center of the box and the big man jumped higher – of course – but he couldn’t keep his header down and the ball went over the crossbar!

Liverpool have been very poor from set pieces and Newcastle are sure to smell the blood from the corners.

41′ ANOTHER corner for Newcastle

ANOTHER corner for Newcastle, and this time it’s Van Dijk who takes it.

40′ Newcastle brave in attack

After much debate, it was Salah who took the free kick into the right side of the penalty area.

He’s in the block, and although Liverpool get another cross from the deflection, Dubravka eventually gets his gloves back on the ball. Newcastle are already a man and two goals down, but you wouldn’t tell by the way they played.

Isak returned to action on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area, but the ball was cleared after the visitors rallied in defence.

You wouldn’t be surprised if the next goal goes to the Magpies.

38′ Yellow card

Almiron was booked for dragging Salah on the edge of the box as the Reds tried to counter.

37′ Burst of corner kicks for the hosts

It was all Newcastle in the final minutes. Saint-Maximin now returns to the left flank and feeds Burn, who sends a good ball into the area.

Nunez is back and helps his team in defense and concedes a corner.

Alexander-Arnold is now on top again and Trippier has another chance.

He’s on at the near post, but there’s no one at the far post to finish him off.

35′ The Reds must remain professional

Saint-Maximin didn’t sit still in this match, but every time he gets the ball back, he does it on purpose. This time though, he looked set to win from a free-kick, but it came down a little too dramatically and Liverpool wasted no time trying to regain control of possession.

The fact that Newcastle were able to grab a pair of corners despite being 10-man thanks to hard work and pressure will worry Liverpool – the Reds just need to look at this half as professionally as possible.

32′ Another corner kick

The ball went in, and after some headers, Newcastle attacked again and Almiron won another corner.

This finds Dan Burn in the back, but his effort has no strength behind it and Alisson holds the ball.

31′ Nice work by Saint-Maximin

Saint-Maximin has awakened the crowd again!

He runs down the right into a space to receive the ball and cuts into the penalty area, teasing Van Dijk and Robertson. He cuts in and out and then finally lets go, only for Alisson to tip it over the bar and the Magpies now have a corner kick.

30′ Newcastle still with two ahead

Newcastle are unbeaten at home this season – will that record end this afternoon?

They have a huge task to get back into this, but they’re still playing two-up, so they’re definitely trying to make something up at this point.

Mind you, it wouldn’t make much sense to switch to a back five to chase game like this.

Isak takes four defenders and seems displaced but finds Saint-Maximin but the Frenchman gives the ball away

27 ‘The audience is now flat

Despite all the early match bounces from the Newcastle fans, things have now fallen very, very flat here. You can’t really blame them – it’s a real sucker to lose Pope, especially with the Carabao Cup final on the horizon, which he’s about to miss.

25′ Dubravka gets involved immediately

We only had 25 minutes and there were already two goals and a red card – what fun we have in our hands!

Dubravka saves directly from a free-kick conceded by Pope, which will do him good to get going for an equalizer.

.24′ Newcastle forced to be replaced

Anderson’s first start sells out quickly and Dubravka is busy filling the gap between the sticks left by Pope.

23′ Great blow for Newcastle

Oh!

Alisson fully packed him in for Salah’s pursuit, and Pope wanted to use his head to clear the hazard as he stumbled, but he reached over to stop the ball illegally!

A big blow for Eddie Howe’s side: they are now 2-0 down and without their first choice goalkeeper!

Is there a way to get back to this now?

22′ RED CARD

Newcastle waste their free kick and the ball goes long to Salah and Pope rushes out to anticipate it.

But the goalkeeper trips and uses his hands to block the ball when it comes to him!

It’s a straight red card!

20′ Yellow card

It’s also the first time Newcastle have conceded more goals in a match since they last played Liverpool in August this season. Now there is an early yellow card for Fabinho after a challenge on Anderson.

16′ GOL Newcastle-Liverpool 0-2

Gakpo with the second!

The Dutch striker finds the goal, but it’s all the fault of Mo Salah’s assist.

The ball entered the Egyptian in midfield with the striker from his right wing, and he simply caressed it the first time over the top of the back four and onto Gakpo’s path in the penalty area.

The former PSV player takes a touch and then takes it to the back of the net on slide past Pope!

For all their roar at the start of the game, it’s the visitors who lead 2-0!

15′ Liverpool seem more dangerous from the goal

But the goal also seems to have shaken Liverpool.

The Reds now found dangerous zones to pick up the ball, and Alexander-Arnold fired a delightful ball across the area, which Newcastle could only deflect for a corner kick. The resulting kick sailed cleanly through a mass of bodies in the box and Newcastle eventually countered through Saint-Maximin.

The striker dodges Gomez and tries to free Isak in the middle, but the ball is just a bit too heavy and Alisson wants to claim it.

12′ Can the Magpies retaliate straight away?

Well, Newcastle aren’t really conceding any goals – it’s only their 14th in the league so far this season.

But they’ve also been struggling for goals in recent weeks, can they find an immediate answer? Surely they’re still looking for it, and the press doesn’t seem to have wavered.

10′ GOL Newcastle-Liverpool 0-1

Nunez has it at the back of the net, but does it count?

The Uruguayan was definitely offside when he found a hole in the centre, and it was a great ball over Alexander-Arnold’s top, but there was a hint of a hand ball when he knocked it down.

It’s great to get it out of his way, and he hit him from the edge of the box past Nick Pope, who couldn’t do anything.

Newcastle believe it was handball but after a lengthy VAR check see the goal go completely against the grain!

9′ Alisson under pressure

Liverpool now had possession and the visitors could hit the ball but Mo Salah was pushed back towards his goal by a very forceful push and Alisson sent the ball straight into contact. The public loved it.

Trippier appears to be involved high up the pitch, but the long high ball finds him offside and Liverpool can catch their breath.

7′ Great intensity in the Newcastle match

Newcastle wasted no time this afternoon and Saint-Maximin quickly fired another shot into the penalty area, but this time it went wide.

The Reds manage to clean up, but the Magpies soon return to carry on the bodies.

There is a great intensity to their game – something that has been prevalent all season – and if this continues the Reds have a long night ahead. 4′ Super to save Alisson

Isak was fantastic against Liverpool at Anfield and scored his first Newcastle goal and he already looked radiant this afternoon.

Bajcetic stole his bag and the hosts fly away again.

The Reds fend off the first wave but suddenly Newcastle are back in attack and Saint-Maximin feeds an unmarked Almiron through the middle but Alisson is flashed out to close the angle and save his side from an early goal.

Brilliant start for hosts!

2′ First chance for hosts

It’s a first chance for the hosts after Isak clearly burst through the middle.

He feeds Saint-Maximin and receives the back pass to cut him in the middle, but no one follows and Liverpool manages to clear. 1′ Kick off!

And Henderson puts us on the right track!

Tribute to Atsu

The players all joined hands on either side of the center circle to pay tribute to Christian Atsu.

A message is read over the loudspeakers for the former Magpies star, who has been found after a 12-day search for his body after the earthquake in Turkey.

A nice gesture from the traveling fans who sing their national anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ as the stadium cheers.

Full debut tonight for Anderson

Great day also for Elliot Anderson, who made his Magpies debut after 11 appearances.

A day he will never forget. Full debut for Anderson tonight

Big day, too, for Elliot Anderson, who made his first start for the Magpies after eleven substitute games.

A day he will never forget.