Early goals from Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo helped Liverpool to a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.
Nunez opened the scoring after just 10 minutes in an action-packed first half when he ran past the Newcastle defense and slotted past goalkeeper Nick Pope. Liverpool doubled their advantage shortly after through Gakpo, who scored for the second game in a row.
Newcastle’s task was made that much harder on 22 minutes when Pope was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area, meaning he would not play in the club’s first major final in 24 years when they face Manchester United the following week. Manchester United in the K Carabao Cup final.
Saturday’s win moves Liverpool to within six points of fourth-place Newcastle, who have won just one of their last seven league games. Jurgen Klopp’s team also have a game to play.
“We scored great goals against 11. We played really well, but then against 10 we lost grip for a moment and couldn’t get it back,” Klopp said.
“But we still had our moments where we should have scored more in the second half. We are one step ahead.”
Newcastle’s previous defeat in the league came against Liverpool at the end of August and they were up against it again when Nunez controlled a long pass by Trent Alexander Arnold to smash home in the 10th minute.
The goal was checked and cleared by VAR following suspicions that the ball had hit Núñez’s arm as he controlled it.
Gakpo doubled Liverpool’s lead seven minutes later when he slotted in from a clever pass from Mohamed Salah for his second goal of the week after opening his account against Everton.
Pope was then cleared off target by a long clearance from his opposite number Allison and caught the ball with his hand well outside his penalty area after initially attempting to head it.
Newcastle responded well and were denied by a mix-up from Woodwork and Alisson, but the damage was already done.
Despite Saturday’s setback, Newcastle could take a lot of credit from the game and were arguably the better side for long periods of time even when being a man down.
Alain Saint-Maximin was denied by a superb save by Alisson, who tipped his fierce drive against the woodwork, while Dan Byrne fired a header against the frame of the goal.
They continued to create chances in the second half when Fabian Schar headed for goal and Callum Wilson missed.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said, “I thought they were clinical with their chances when they came on and obviously the sending off of Nick Pope changed the game.”
“I haven’t spoken to him properly but I’ve seen him and he looks upset.”