Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool: Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo fire Jurgen Klopp’s side into top-four race

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

Liverpool were put under the cosh by the hosts early on but quickly went 2-0 up against the run of play with goals from Nunez and Gakpo, before Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity with a handball outside his box. The England international will now miss next Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.

Undeterred by going a player down, Newcastle continued to look the most dangerous as Alisson kept out Allan Saint-Maximin’s left-foot strike with some help from the bar before Dan Burn and Fabian Schar missed gilt-edged chances with their heads from set-pieces either side of the break.

Liverpool have now down the double over Newcastle this season – and remain the only team to have beaten them in the Premier League this season – as they move up to eighth. The Magpies, meanwhile, are now on a three-game winless run ahead of a huge game at Wembley against Man Utd.

How Liverpool got the better of 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 that took the lead when Trent Alexander-Arnold picked out a wide-open Nunez in behind the Magpies’ defence before he emphatically converted after 10 minutes to silence a raucous St James’ Park.

Newcastle continued to look the more likely but it was Liverpool who struck next. Gakpo connected with Mo Salah’s sumptuous dinked pass ahead of Pope to make it two goals in two having taken six games to score following his move from PSV in January.

The game unravelled for Newcastle after that as Pope was sent off for a deliberate handball to deny Salah a goalscoring opportunity, becoming the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to concede twice and receive a red card inside 22 minutes.

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

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

Nunez tested Newcastle’s stand-in goalkeeper Martin Dubravka with a low effort that he was equal to before going off with a shoulder injury. Joelinton was also taken off prematurely with an apparent hamstring strain with Eddie Howe unwilling to take any chances ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wembley.

Diogo Jota was among the Liverpool players brought off the bench and could have scored on multiple occasions had his finishing been sharper. Newcastle also had a chance to pull one back late on through substitute Callum Wilson on the break but he was denied by Liverpool’s top performer Alisson.

What’s next?

Newcastle’s next game is their 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 Sunday February 26, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 4.30pm.

Sunday 26th February 3:00pm


Kick off 4:30pm

Eddie Howe’s side then return to Premier League action at Manchester City on Saturday March 4; kick-off 12.30pm.

Liverpool’s attention now turns to the Champions League, with Real Madrid visiting Anfield for the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday; kick-off 8pm.

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

Saturday 25th February 7:30pm


Kick off 7:45pm