Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
Jurgen Klopp’s turn to chat with Sky Sports. “A massive result … a clean sheet … two wonderful goals … space for improvement as well, obviously … the red card would have been a wonderful goal as well … against ten men we didn’t react particularly well, we lost our momentum and it was difficult to get back … Newcastle had nothing to lose any more, a top team with top character … they threw everything on the pitch … and we gave them too many set pieces and with set pieces it’s not important how many men you have on the pitch … if we had scored the third, it would have been it, but we didn’t, and so it was exciting to the end … the most negative thing is that Darwin has to go off, he has something with his shoulder … it’s the first clean sheet away from home since April [splutters a laugh] and I can’t believe that … you need results … in the end I am really happy we got it over the line, because so many things have happened to us this season … this time nothing happened, we were not perfect but we were good to win … we take the result and go from here … Real Madrid on Tuesday is a tough test but it’s Anfield and I can’t wait!”
Eddie Howe, bravely keeping his chin up, talks to Sky. “A lot happened in the game … a good start, we created the first chance … Alisson made a couple of good saves … then we conceded two goals which is unlike us … I’m disappointed with them, I’d need to look back on them … I really feel for Nick Pope, he slightly misjudged the ball … I suppose technically it is a handball, I don’t know the rules of the red card, it felt like a harsh decision, the player was at an angle with defenders retreating towards our goal, but that was given … the reaction from the team was brilliant … we were still in the game, we were competitive, we had chances … if we could get the third goal we had a route back into the game, but that never came … we showed with ten against 11 how good we can be … we were comfortable in our shape and had some threat in transition … had that goal came the result could have been different … I back the players to come out of it [their current goalscoring troubles], we have too much quality not to … both [Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie] have started games away from competitive action, so they’re both match ready … I have full confidence in both … we showed that we can be competitive in a different way and overall I am positive going into the cup final … we need to go into next week with the mindset of protecting our goal, regardless of who is in goal … we have to look forward to what will be an exciting week for us … attack the game and try to win.”
The verdict from the managers will be coming soon … but in the meantime, Louise Taylor’s match report has landed. Here it is!
Allan Saint-Maximin speaks to Sky. “It is a very bad day … I feel sad for Nick Pope, because he tried to help the team … he did everything to help us to be [in the final] so we have to support him … for sure it’s a bad day … we played very well, we had the first chance … after that they scored so it was painful but we kept playing to create more chances … and then we had that red card … with ten men we still played very well … even if Liverpool are not in a top position at the moment, they are still a great team, so to play well with ten men against that team is very good … I am very disappointed … we need to think about the final … I know all the team will fight to be able to win that important game … the real positive is that even with ten men down against a very big team who play in the Champions League, we play very well … we created many chances to come back into the game … I know many teams would not create the chances we created … so this is positive before we play Manchester United … I am sure we can cause a lot of problems to Manchester United.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks to Sky … “This is a massive one for us … this was a big one … we got our win against Everton, which was also massive, but would have meant nothing if we hadn’t backed it up here with another win … Newcastle are a tough side to beat, but we picked them apart … the red card settled the game down … not many teams come here and win so we’re delighted … they haven’t conceded a lot of goals, so to break them down twice is something not a lot of teams do … we haven’t had much confidence to be honest, some good performances but no consistent period … we’re used to going on winning streaks, so we know how to put them together … it’s starting to feel and look like Liverpool, so there are positive signs … it’s a great stepping stone for us.”
… and so does Virgil van Dijk. “We have had results already this season when we’ve felt now is the time to kick on, but this is a little bit different … coming away from the big win against Everton it was important to keep going … the red card changed the game a bit for them but also us … we could have done better, but there is a reason we are the only team to have beaten them … I am very proud of the boys … when you play against ten men sloppiness creeps in, you have to try to do the same things, but it is difficult … we can be proud … now is time to make the rest of the season as good as possible … we want to find consistency … we have to gain confidence in order to gain momentum.”
Jurgen Klopp congratulates his team more in relief than anything else. They’re still not quite firing on all cylinders, yet scored two fine goals in the first 17 minutes, the game effectively won when Nick Pope then received his marching orders on 22. They never quite managed to put the game to bed, though, and a spirited Newcastle kept them working until the very end of an evening that could have major consequences: Liverpool travel home with their top-four hopes boosted, while Pope’s red card throws Newcastle’s League Cup final plans into turmoil. Eddie Howe, in contrast to Klopp, cuts a pensive figure.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Man Utd | 23 | 10 | 46 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 23 | 20 | 41 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | 7 | 39 |
| 7 | Brighton | 22 | 10 | 35 |
| 8 | Liverpool | 22 | 10 | 35 |
| 9 | Brentford | 23 | 7 | 35 |
FULL TIME: Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool
Newcastle battled well to limit the damage, all of which was done in the first 22 minutes.
90 min +2: On Sky, Jamie Carragher names Allan Saint-Maximin as his man of the match. The Newcastle forward has indeed been superb in adversity. Before the game, he said he’d “try to do the best game that is possible” in memory of his old friend Christian Atsu. He’s done that and more.
90 min +1: The first of three added minutes sees Jota round Dubravka on the left but take it a little too wide. He can’t slot from a tight angle, and Salah isn’t able to get on the end of the loose ball. Jota could quite feasibly have scored a four-minute hat-trick there.
90 min: Elliott rolls a pass wide right for Alexander-Arnold, who crosses deep. Jota comes in at the far stick and guides a sensational, delicate header across Dubravka and inches wide of the top-right corner. That would have been a fine goal, from the ridiculous to the sublime. But it’s not to be. Firmino attempts to high-kick home from a very tight angle on the right but can’t connect. Goal kick.
88 min: Liverpool play it short. Elliott then hits long for Van Dijk, who heads back towards Jota in the middle. One from the training ground. Burn heads behind for a corner on the right. From which Jota misses disgracefully, heading a Robertson cross wide left while unmarked, six yards out. He’s been out injured for some time, he’s allowed to be a little rusty.
87 min: Jota’s persistence earns Liverpool a corner down the left. Robertson to take.
86 min: Alisson strides out of his box to deny Saint-Maximin possession. He has indeed been marvellous this evening.
84 min: Saint-Maximin attempts to launch a counter but is denied by a fine last-ditch lunge by Milner, who nicks the ball off his toe. Saint-Maximin stays down, which is another worry for Newcastle ahead of next weekend, but thankfully springs back up again soon enough.
82 min: Firmino plays a loose pass in the centre circle to a dozing Milner. Gordon romps off with the ball. He slips Wilson into the box down the left. Wilson aims for the bottom right, allowing Alisson to kick away. His third huge save of the game. On Sky, Jamie Carragher suggests that, despite it all, Alisson has been Liverpool’s best player. It’s a difficult point to argue with.
81 min: Newcastle clear with ease. Liverpool come again, but Robertson slips as he makes his way down the left. No matter, because Gordon gifts them the ball back. Salah is in space on the edge of the D. He sidefoots lamely straight at Dubravka. A comedy of errors.
80 min: Salah tears down the right and looks for Alexander-Arnold in the middle, but his low cross is turned out for a corner by Ritchie. Alexander-Arnold to take.
79 min: On the touchline, Jurgen Klopp cuts an agitated figure. His team just can’t put this game to bed.
77 min: Ritchie whips in from the left. Van Dijk eyebrows away from danger with Wilson lurking dangerously. Newcastle have been playing with ten men for nearly an hour, but they haven’t once threatened to capitulate. It’s not exactly been ideal, yet in its own way its been very impressive. It all augurs well for days when they’re not behind the eight-ball.
75 min: Robertson, Firmino, Jota and Elliot combine smoothly down the left flank. With a man over in attack, a series of simple passes gets them all the way to the Newcastle box. Robertson has the opportunity to shoot from the penalty spot, but unselfishly lays off to Salah, who is eased off the ball by Botman. That should have been a nerve-settling third for Liverpool. But they overplayed their hand, and Newcastle still have hope.
73 min: Eddie Howe might be planning for next weekend’s final, but his ten men are still scrapping away on the pitch. Liverpool aren’t being given a moment’s peace.
71 min: Joelinton jabbers at Eddie Howe, desperate to stay on and play. But Howe’s not having it. He tells his assistant to “do it” and up goes the board. As Joelinton is replaced by Ritchie, Howe makes a point of telling the disappointed player that he’s doing it “for you”. To be fair to Joelinton, there was no tantrum involved; he just wanted to keep going.
69 min: Joelinton goes down with cramp. Looks like he’ll be hooked with next week’s big final in mind. He doesn’t want to leave, though, and wags his finger in the direction of the Toon dugout.
67 min: Gomez channels his inner Beckenbauer, striding down the middle before attempting to release … Robertson?! … who is clearly playing out some Gerd Muller fantasies. Robertson-Muller attempts to flick towards the nearby Jota, but the backheel doesn’t come off. All very heady.
66 min: Newcastle aren’t going away, and Longstaff makes his way down the right. He’s skittled by Milner, who is fairly fortunate not to go into the book. Nothing comes of the resulting free kick.
64 min: Wilson, Gordon and Murphy replace Isak, Almiron and Trippier. The former Evertonian Gordon receives a warm reception from his own fans, and the sort of pantomime welcome you’d expect from the away end.
63 min: Robertson is getting plenty of joy down the left. He romps down that flank again. This time his low cross is snaffled by Dubravka. But Newcastle suddenly can’t get out, and Liverpool come again, Jota making ground on the left before flashing a shot-cum-cross through the six-yard box. Nobody in red was taking a gamble. It’d have been an easy tap-in.
61 min: Robertson swings a cross into the Newcastle box from the left. Dubravka should claim, but flaps. Newcastle clear their lines regardless, and Saint-Maximin counters down the inside-left channel before thrashing a wild shot wide and high.
60 min: Liverpool make a quadruple substitution. Gakpo, Nunez, Bajcetic and Henderson make way for Jota, Firmino, Milner and Elliott. Nothing comes of the corner.
58 min: Before the corner can be taken, Nunez goes down holding his shoulder again. A worry for Liverpool ahead of the Champions League tie against Real Madrid next week.
57 min: … so having said that, Nunez hares down the left, cuts infield, and sends a power curler towards the bottom right. Dubravka sticks out an arm to deny him and turn around the post for a corner.
55 min: Nunez is back up again quickly enough. When play restarts, Alisson and Van Dijk confuse each other as a long ball is played down the Newcastle left. Van Dijk heads behind for a needless corner, from which Schar heads harmlessly wide left. Ten-man Newcastle look most likely to score the next goal.
54 min: Nunez comes off second best in a battle with Trippier down the Liverpool left. Not only will it be a goal kick for Newcastle, Nunez has hurt his shoulder in falling as well. On comes the trainer.
Updated
53 min: Saint-Maximin hassles Robertson and Van Dijk down the right. He fizzes a low cross into the Liverpool box for Isak, who spins on the penalty spot and aims for the top left. Just over. Had that been on target, I’m not sure Alisson was getting to it. That was too easy for Newcastle, who are still very much in this game, despite it all.
51 min: Liverpool probe hither and yon, attempting to make the pitch as big as possible. But Newcastle hold their shape well. No cracks emerge.
50 min: Saint-Maximin brings the fight to Liverpool down the middle. He enjoys a tussle with Bajcetic and nearly bursts through into space. Not quite, but both players will be proud of their contribution in that no-quarter-given duel.
48 min: Alexander-Arnold makes a nuisance of himself down the right. Joelinton wrestles the ball off him only to blast his clearance straight into Longstaff’s surprised grid. Play stops as Longstaff gathers himself.
46 min: Newcastle know they need the next goal, and come out of the traps flying. Isak nearly benefits from Henderson’s pondering on the edge of his own box. Liverpool eventually clear their lines but that’ll give the hosts succour.
Newcastle get the second half underway. There have been no half-time changes.
Half-time reading.
HALF TIME: Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool are two goals up. Newcastle are one man down. But the hosts have responded gamely to the early triple whammy they suffered, and aren’t quite out of this yet.
45 min +2: Gomez wedges a fine pass down the inside-right channel for Salah. Had Salah extended a leg, he may have been able to guide the ball past the out-rushing Dubravka. But he opts to attempt to bring it down and round the keeper, and his touch is no good. Goal kick.
45 min: There will be four minutes added to this eventful first half.
43 min: Alexander-Arnold crosses from the right. It’s deflected behind for a corner on the left. Robertson takes. Burn wins another header, but this time it’s a clearing one.
42 min: Newcastle have responded really well to an awful sequence of events. They’ve been the better side since going down to ten men.
41 min: Newcastle probe awhile, then suddenly spring forward through Longstaff, who drives in from the right. He earns a corner off Van Dijk. It’s sent into the mixer. Burn rises highest and crashes a header off the crossbar!
39 min: Salah shapes to send the free kick towards the top left but gets it all wrong.
38 min: … although that was unfortunate for Newcastle, because Nunez was a yard offside as he combined with Salah. But the flag didn’t go up, and now it’s a free kick, the incident can’t be reviewed. Had it been a penalty, play would have almost certainly been pulled back in Newcastle’s favour.
37 min: One corner leads to another, then Liverpool break upfield again. Salah and Nunez combine down the middle, the former racing towards the right-hand edge of the D. Almiron is forced to take one for the team and foul him. He’s booked.
36 min: Nunez takes a long ball down on the edge of the Newcastle D and is clipped by Schar, but the referee waves play on. Newcastle counter, and Nunez is in the thick of it again, forced to chest out for a corner as Trippier and Longstaff probe.
34 min: Once again, Liverpool calm things down with some measured passing across the back.
32 min: Nothing comes of the corner, but Henderson, formerly of Sunderland and to the amusement of the home crowd, makes a pig’s lug of a simple clearance and the Toon force a repeat corner. Nothing comes of that, either, but that little burst of action proves that Newcastle, for all that they’re up against it, aren’t out of it quite yet.
31 min: Saint-Maximin chases a long pass down the right. He twists Robertson’s blood, before whipping a shot towards the top left. Alisson is required to extend at full length to tip over the bar. His second big save of the game!
29 min: Liverpool stroke it around the back awhile as everyone gathers their thoughts. They’re probably as discombobulated as Newcastle. This sort of thing doesn’t happen every week.
27 min: Incidentally, Dubravka might be Newcastle’s go-to stand-in today, but he won’t be able to deputise for Pope next week at Wembley, having turned out in the League Cup for Manchester United while on loan earlier in the season. Loris Karius to star in his first major showpiece since the 2018 Champions League final?
25 min: Dubravka comes on for the sacrificed Anderson, and immediately makes a big stop, as Alexander-Arnold’s free kick is met by Gakpo, who fires a header straight at the stand-in keeper.
23 min: Pope suffered a proper rush of blood there. The referee had no option. Off he goes – and what a costly mistake it is, because that means he’ll miss the League Cup final against Manchester United next weekend!
RED CARD! Pope (Newcastle United)
22 min: Alisson claims and instantly launches long. Salah scampers after the long pass from the halfway line! Pope races from his area and stoops to head out of Salah’s path … only to fall over, then stick an instinctive arm out to smother. The referee flashes red. He’s off!
Updated
21 min: Anderson cuts in from the left flank and is flipped into the air by Fabinho. It’s another poor challenge by the out-of-sorts Liverpool midfielder, and into the book he goes. Trippier takes the resulting free kick and …
19 min: There’s another check for VAR, this time for offside. But Gakpo was a few inches on. What a pass that was from Salah. What a spin by Bajcetic to start the whole thing off.
GOAL! Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool (Gakpo 17)
Bajcetic spins gracefully away from Longstaff in midfield and sets Liverpool away on the attack. Fabinho rolls to Salah, 30 yards out, just to the right of centre. Salah chips a pass down a big gap in the middle of the Newcastle defence. Gakpo takes a touch and slots into the bottom right. Another goal that seemed to arrive out of nowhere, in an instant.
Updated
15 min: Alexander-Arnold looks in the mood, and fires a low diagonal ball into the Newcastle box from the right. Trippier is forced to poke out for a corner with Gakpo lurking. The set piece comes to nothing. Meanwhile here indeed is our old pal Jeff Sax of the Darwin Nunez Appreciation Society, who would like to correct my copy. “That was not ‘simple’ for Nunez. First in the last 12 games. A miracle!” He’s not going to let it like, readers, is he.
13 min: That’s taken a bit of air out of the stadium. Newcastle had been the better team in the early exchanges, and that kind of came out of nowhere. “Jeff Sax in three, two, one…” chants Joe Pearson.
11 min: There’s a quick VAR check. Did the ball roll down, or brush, Nunez’s arm as he chested down? Nope. He took it down gracefully. That was one heck of a finish. He drove that into the bottom left at 101 mph!
Updated
GOAL! Newcastle United 0-1 Liverpool (Nunez 10)
Alexander-Arnold picks up possession to the right of the centre circle. He rakes a pass down the middle, where Nunez chests down before slamming past Pope and nearly ripping the net from its moorings. Simple as that. What a finish!
Updated
9 min: Liverpool take a little of the early sting out of the game with some passing around the back, and then …
7 min: Nunez probes down the left. He cuts back in the direction of Salah but the ball doesn’t get through and Anderson intercepts. Both teams look in the mood to attack; it may well be the best form of defence for the visitors, who have lost their last three Premier League matches on the road.
5 min: Newcastle have started strongly and Saint-Maximin bursts his way past Alexander-Arnold down the left. He shoots from a tight angle. Van Dijk heads the ball back to him. Saint-Maximin shanks a snapshot out for a goal kick. Liverpool do not look secure at the back.
4 min: Saint-Maximin barrels down the left and cuts infield. He finds Almiron in an absurd amount of space just to the right of the D. Almiron is one on one with Alisson. He tries to force the ball past Alisson but the keeper sticks out a strong arm to parry and claim.
Updated
3 min: Trippier rolls a clever pass down the inside-right channel and nearly releases Isak. Van Dijk snoozing a bit. He’s fortunate that Alisson has read the danger and races off his line to smother.
1 min: Saint-Maximin and Isak combine down the left. The latter crosses. Robertson extends a leg to clear. The ball bounds down the Liverpool left and Nunez hares after it. He’d be free, as well, had Pope not raced miles out of his box to blooter clear. A fast start that promises much.
Everyone takes the knee – there’s no room for racism – and then Liverpool get the ball rolling. “When Atsu was with Newcastle and he came on as a sub, I recall reacting to the announcement of his name with, ‘Bless you!’,” writes Peter Oh. “Now, for different reasons, I say ‘Godspeed and bless you Christian’, and the same to his family and friends, in their time of grief.”
A warm ovation and moment of solemn reflection in memory of poor Christian Atsu. The away fans sing You’ll Never Walk Alone. A small crumb of comfort that his very last act on a football field was beautiful.
This was Christian Atsu's final game in his professional football career: 90th minute free-kick to win the game for Hatayspor. Less than 24 hours later, the earthquake happened…
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) February 18, 2023
Such devastating news. RIP Atsu. 😢❤️ pic.twitter.com/3mn0eey0XR
The teams are out! Newcastle in their famous black and white stripes, Liverpool in their storied red. A sensational – and indeed emotional – atmosphere at St James’ Park. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
A reminder of what happened when these teams met at Anfield early in the season. It remains Newcastle’s last league defeat, indeed their only one of the campaign so far.
Jurgen Klopp speaks to Sky. “They say we are in a fight for a potential Champions League place but I’m just not there yet that I can announce it, we have to show consistency … we cannot just win one game and everything is good again … Newcastle is in that spot and if we can decrease the distance that is always helpful and that is what we will try today.”
In addition to Atsu’s passing, it’s also the 90th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Sir Bobby Robson, and Eddie Howe tells Sky: “It will be an emotional game … the crowd will certainly show that before the game in different ways … for the players it’s a case of concentrating on the performance … they can’t get swept up in that emotion … I hope we can be the best version of ourselves that we can be … we have to use any emotion from the crowd in a positive way.”
This morning’s news of the death of former Newcastle player Christian Atsu has hit hard. Sky Sports have spoken to some of the folk who worked with, knew and loved him.
Rafael Benitez, who managed him at Newcastle: “I am really sad … they said he was fine but it was not true … he was a nice, nice, special person … a good professional, a very good professional … but I don’t talk about if he’s a good player or not, he was a nice lad, a good player, but especially a really nice person, a special person … you can see the pictures always with a smile … it’s really sad for him and everyone involved because it is really tragic news … I was in contact with him last month, we were sharing messages … it is very bad for me to express in English but I was trying to contact him … also I don’t want to forget the rest of the people, it is a really difficult time … but we have to remember Christian.”
Eddie Howe, who took him on loan at Bournemouth: “It’s a real tragedy … I woke up to the news and was truly devastated … a lot of players in our dressing room worked with him for a couple of years … we’ll play tribute to him with a minute’s silence and our thoughts are with him … we give him our thoughts and prayers to his family.”
Allan Saint-Maximin, who played with him at Newcastle: “It’s a very sad day for Newcastle and most of the players because all of the players know him well … he was a great guy … I would have a conversation with him and a very nice time with him … to see this is very painful … it is difficult to talk about but I will never forget him and will fight for him … I’m not going to lie, I will tell you the truth, I never seen a guy like that before, when I just arrived in Newcastle, even if we played the same position, he was always giving me some advice, always a very very nice guy … he was always talking and smiling even when he didn’t play … he was always a great person … it’s a difficult day for me but will try to do the best game that is possible.”
Newcastle make one change to the team sent out for the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth this time last week. Elliott Anderson replaces the injured Joe Willock in midfield. Callum Wilson is back after a hamstring injury, starting on the bench.
Liverpool also make just the one change after the 2-0 win over Everton on Monday night. Virgil van Dijk returns from his hamstring injury and takes the place of Joel Matip at the back.
The teams
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Joelinton, Anderson, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Isak.
Subs: Dubravka, Dummett, Lascelles, Gorson, Wilson, Ritchie, Lewis, Manquillo, Murphy.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Bajcetic, Henderson, Nunez, Salah, Gakpo.
Subs: Kelleher, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Matip, Phillips.
HOWAY NEWCASTLE! ✊
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) February 18, 2023
⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/VMAyeKSFFL
The Reds to take on Newcastle today 📋🔴#NEWLIV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 18, 2023
Updated
Preamble
This is a difficult one to call. Newcastle United are making a serious bid for a place in next season’s Champions League; Liverpool have been broadly awful this season. Newcastle haven’t been beaten in the Premier League since August; Liverpool have already been comprehensively defeated three times in the league since the turn of the calendar year. Newcastle are fourth; Liverpool are nine points adrift of them in ninth.
Ah but. Newcastle have been struggling to find the net recently, with just three goals in their last six Premier League games; Liverpool rediscovered their attacking verve against Everton last Monday. Newcastle haven’t beaten Liverpool in 12 Premier League games since 2015; Jurgen Klopp’s side are unbeaten in five league games at St James’ Park. Newcastle are without their suspended talisman Bruno Guimaraes; Liverpool were the last side to defeat them in the Premier League.
So you can make a case for both teams. That’s why we love football, huh. Kick off is at 5.30pm GMT. It’s on!
