Liverpool 4-2 Newcastle: Wasteful Reds open gap at the top of the table thanks to controversial win

Liverpool started 2024 on the right note with a 4-2 win at home to Newcastle widening their lead at the top of the Premier League table to three points.

Jurgen Klopp's men put on a chance-creation clinic at Anfield and missed quite a number of clear-cut chances but were still able to nick the win through a Mohamed Salah brace and goals from Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones.

Liverpool were previously only top on goal difference having been tied on points with Aston Villa but this result extends it to three points while also condemning Newcastle to a seventh loss in eight games.

Liverpool ended the game with an xG of 7.2 which is the highest ever by any team in Premier League history but they still had to struggle for the win due to the wastefulness of their attackers including star man, Mohamed Salah whose 22nd-minute penalty was saved by Marcin Dubravka and Trent Alexander-Arnold poorly missed the rebound.

The legitimacy of the penalty was contestable as were many other questionable decisions made by centre referee Anthony Taylor in the game,

The first half ended goalless but with a lot of action and Liverpool finally took a chance in the 48th minute, Mo Salah converting from close range for his 150th Premier League goal.

Newcastle shot back within six minutes, Alexander Isak netted the equaliser with the visitor's first shot on target after being well set up by Anthony Gordon.

Liverpool pushed to regain their lead and they eventually did with just over 15 minutes from time when substitute Diogo Jota unselfishly squared for Curtis Jones to tap into an empty net.

Shortly after that, they added a third when Cody Gakpo converted from a Salah assist to seal the win or so they thought until Sven Botman pulled one back for the visitors.

Newcastle pushed for the equaliser but were deflated by Liverpool's fourth and final goal late on, a controversial penalty which was colly dispatched by Salah to wrap up the points.