EPL: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle

Mohamed Salah celebrates with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after giving Liverpool the lead

Mohamed Salah scored for the seventh consecutive game as Liverpool moved back into second place with a 2-0 win over Newcastle in the Premier League.

It was not a vintage Reds performance but goals either side of half-time from Salah (40) and Sadio Mane (55) were more than enough to thwart a toothless Newcastle side, who remain just two points above the relegation zone.

 

The Toon were lucky not to have captain Jamaal Lascelles sent off late on for a professional foul on Salah.

 

Manchester United can leapfrog Liverpool back into the runners-up spot with a win over Crystal Palace on Monday Night Football.

Rafa Benitez was returning to Anfield as an opposition manager for a third time having never lost in the away dugout. However, it was a case a damage limitation from the first whistle for the visitors.

 

They held out until just before the break when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain burst onto a loose ball and slipped Salah in down the right where he slotted it under Martin Dubravka for his 32nd goal of the season.

The only glimpse of goal Newcastle conjured up came during injury time in the first-half when Loris Karius tipped over Mohamed Diame's curling effort that was heading for the top corner.

 

The game was over as a contest when Mane scored the 200th goal of the Jurgen Klopp era on 55 minutes. Roberto Firmino did the damage with a classy through ball and Mane swept home his fifth goal in his last three games.

There was still time for Salah to breeze past Lascelles injury time but his shout for a penalty was turned down despite Lascelles looking like a guilty party.