There was to be no trademark triple fist-pump from Jurgen Klopp as he walked over to greet the jubilant Liverpool fans sat high among the gods at St James’ Park.
Such an intervention was unnecessary, though. This, after all, was a performance that spoke for itself.
In a fixture widely circled as a potential banana skin in their quest for a quadruple, the heavily-rotated Reds delivered a display that underlined why they remain in such an unprecedented position.
No Trent Alexander-Arnold. No Fabinho. No Thiago Alcantara. Hey, even no Mohamed Salah, the recently-named Footballer of the Year.
RATINGS: Joe Gomez brilliant and six others good against Newcastle
READ MORE: What Naby Keita did against Newcastle could change everything as he keeps Liverpool promise
YOUR SHOUT: Rate the Liverpool players after crucial win away to Newcastle
No problem. The names may change, but the level remains freakishly high.
The stay at the top of the table may only have been brief with Manchester City thrashing lowly Leeds United later on Saturday, but Pep Guardiola’s side were reminded they won’t be able to retain their title without an almighty fight.
Sure, this encounter didn’t have the swashbuckling forward play, shower of goals or adrenaline-pumping excitement of select other games in recent times.
But there is a strong argument this was Liverpool ’s most impressive performance of the season, a uber-professional task in keeping at arm’s length in front of a baying home crowd a Newcastle United side whose Premier League form only Klopp’s side have surpassed since the turn of the year.
The Magpies, however, have little to play for having negotiated their way to safety. And the visitors' greater need for points was evident after they had wrested an initiative early on they simply refused to yield from the moment Naby Keita, one of five changes, struck the well-worked decider on 19 minutes.
Keita’s strike was deserved reward for another excellent display, but he wasn’t alone. Klopp’s faith in the strength in depth of his squad was justified with those coming in all delivering.
None more so than Joe Gomez, again slotting in to outstanding effect at right-back. Diogo Jota hurried and harried and was close to adding to his goal tally, while James Milner was superb on his first Premier League start since the 2-2 draw at Chelsea back on January 2.
And Joel Matip, again rotated for Ibrahima Konate, stepped up second half when Newcastle began to at least ask some questions. That Alisson Becker had just one shot of note to save speaks volumes for a fourth successive clean sheet, an eighth in their last nine Premier League games.
Klopp has long admitted his bemusement at just how hellbent Newcastle and their supporters were intent on thwarting the Reds’ title charge the last time this fixture wasn’t played behind closed doors in May 2019. So the Liverpool manager would have expected the raucous atmosphere played in a baking sun that threatened to melt the plastic flags waved by home fans before kick-off.
Indeed, from the moment this game was switched to the day's early match, it attained an even greater sense of jeopardy, slap-bang in the middle of the two-legged Champions League semi-final against Villarreal.
Rotation was inevitable. Nevertheless, Klopp prompted raised eyebrows with its extent, the majority of those being benched regulars this season. It meant a reconstructed midfield with Milner joined by Keita and, back in the holding role, skipper Jordan Henderson.
Those supporters fretting needn’t have worried. The trio had started together in the 5-0 romps at Watford and Manchester United earlier in the season, the latter kickstarted by an early strike from Keita.
And here saw a repeat as the Guinean’s strike midway through the first half was sufficient to give Liverpool victory. It originated from a mistake, Milner loose with a forward pass but then strong in winning the ball back with a fair but firm challenge on Fabian Schar.
With the Newcastle defender prone, Liverpool played on, Keita pushing forward and exchanging passes with Jota before running into the area, leaving goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on his backside and finishing calmly past three defenders on the line. Newcastle weren’t happy, but replays confirmed referee Andre Marriner had made the correct call.
Milner and Henderson were afforded opposing receptions by the home crowd – the former given an ovation on his late substitution against his old club, the latter jeered throughout due to his Sunderland connections – but both were on the same page in the manner they covered ground and snapped into tackles, leaving former Liverpool man Jonjo Shelvey peripheral.
Liverpool could easily have been further ahead before the interval, Sadio Mane firing a good opening at Dubravka and the Newcastle goalkeeper turning over Jota’s powerful header from a Henderson cross.
Newcastle inevitably came on stronger after the interval, but with Liverpool’s high line – cajoled impressively by the imperious Virgil van Dijk – frustrating the home side and the dangerous Allan Saint-Maximin in particular, spaces began to open up for Klopp’s side on the counter-attack.
Jota was twice denied by Dubravka, Diaz hit the side-netting, Mane struck wide and, just when Newcastle’s defence thought the job couldn’t be made any more difficult, Salah was introduced and three times came close to a second goal Liverpool’s performance merited. The home side, disillusioned and exhausted, had ran out of ideas long before the final whistle.
As they filtered out of the stadium, the away support broke into the now familiar song celebrating Klopp, their thoughts already drifting to El Madrigal.
No wonder the Reds boss wants to stick around for a few more years. This incredible Liverpool team is showing no signs of slowing down. Next stop, Spain.
