Liverpool will have to do without Mo Salah’s goalscoring presence.
Mo Salah (left) was not happy with referee Anthony Taylor’s whistles. PDO
Liverpool extended their league lead to three points when they beat Newcastle 4-2 in the pouring rain on New Year’s Day.
The opening goal of the match came right at the beginning of the second period, when the pair of flats scored Luis Diaz–Darwin Nunez initially a sure goal place For Mohamed Salahand the Egyptian moved the ball directly from the pass into an empty net.
It was Salah’s 150th Premier League goal of his Liverpool career.
Despite the seemingly narrow defeat, Newcastle was left completely under the roller. It just used its few scoring opportunities with dazzling efficiency.
In the 54th minute, the guests equalized the match when Alexander Isak ran away by Anthony Gordon from input to drive-through. The Swede finished nicely by placing the ball in the bottom back corner.
The home crowd was already getting nervous about the hosts’ inefficiency, until Salah conjured the Reds’ second just over a quarter of an hour before the end. A clever pass freed the Substitute Diogo Jotanwho still distributed the ball to Curtis Jones to enjoy.
In the end, Salah became the king of the field with his power. The attacker’s wonderful outside pass reached Cody Gakpon and the Dutchman would grab the winning goal even with his dirty shot.
Salah himself completed the 4-2 final numbers from a tough 86th minute just moments before Newcastle by Sven Botman after the bump reduction.
The magpies have now suffered defeat no less than six times in their last eight matches, and if there is another setback in the epiphany’s cup classic at the home ground of arch-enemy Sunderland, the manager will waver Eddie Howe ball already quite strongly.
To the championships
The home crowd at Anfield Road left Liverpool’s night, however, a little worried. The match was the last in which Salah and the Japanese Wataru Endo played before moving to the national team camp.
Salah will go with the Pharaohs to the African Championship starting next week in Ivory Coast, while Endō’s “Blue Samurai” is the biggest favorite to win the Asian Games in Qatar.
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Salah (right) was the king of the field with his two goals in the victory over Newcastle. PDO
The two continent’s championship tournaments inoculate the Premier League teams quite unevenly. For example, Manchester City, who is defending the championship, will not have to borrow any players for national team duties, but Nottingham Forest, who is fighting against relegation, will lose no less than six of their regular players to prestigious tournaments.
Of course, the situation is not a surprise to anyone.
– We know very well that the African Championship tournament is played regularly at this time of the year, and Mon has to go. Now we also have to adjust to Endō’s participation in the Asian Games, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp already formulated before Monday’s evening match.
– This is how it is. We have to get it done regardless and we certainly will.
Spurs are suffering
Among the top teams, Liverpool is the biggest sufferer, along with Tottenham. Its attacking game still relies heavily on Salah’s powers, although against Newcastle the superstar also had time to miss the hardest part in the opening period.
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Salah left the previous African Championship tournament with a silver medal around his neck. PDO
If Egypt always advances to the final, which will be played on February 11, the star striker will miss at least five league matches. In addition to them, Pool’s program has possibly as many as three cup matches in January alone.
Tottenham will be sidelined by South Korea Heung-Min Sonof Senegal Pape Sarr and Mali Yves Bissouma.
– The Asian Championship is high on my scale. It’s really important, manager Ange Postecoglou admitted.
You can understand the Aussie coach’s opinion, because he just led his home country to the Asian champion in 2015.
– Quite a lot of Europeans think the same about the EC final tournament. And of course the same applies to the African championships.
Salah is one of them. The striker experienced a huge disappointment in the final of the previous championship tournament, which Egypt lost to Senegal in a tough match.
He certainly wants to correct that “wrong” now.