Newcastle beat in-form Liverpool

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07 Dec 2015

By Alistair Magowan BSports

Georginio Wijnaldum inspired Newcastle to their third win of the season as they beat in-form Liverpool.

The Magpies moved above Sunderland into 18th place in the table after Wijnaldum's shot was deflected off Martin Skrtel's knee, before the Dutchman added a second in injury time.

Liverpool, who had won seven of their last eight games, were poor.

Alberto Moreno was wrongly denied by an offside flag as Reds boss Jurgen Klopp suffered a second defeat in 12 games.

There were only two shots on target, equalling a Premier League record this season, with the first of them coming in the 89th minute from Dejan Lovren

But in a scrappy game which lacked quality, Newcastle achieved a much-needed victory for Steve McClaren, who admitted earlier this week that confidence at the club has been "fragile".

After conceding eight goals in their last two games, the result came courtesy of an improved defensive display from the hosts.

And in Wijnaldum, who took his tally to seven for the season following his £14.5m move from PSV Eindhoven in July, they have a player who has offered the goal-scoring threat they have been previously missing.

Alberto Moreno's volley was wrongly denied by an assistant's offside flag

Did Liverpool waste chance to close on top four?

Joey Barton's MOTD2 analysis: 'Why Liverpool could not implement Klopp's plan'

Following Liverpool's 6-1 win at Southampton in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday, Klopp's reputation at Liverpool reached new heights.

But his decision to make six alterations, including the omission of Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi, who scored five goals at St Mary's between them, seemed to backfire.

Winger Jordon Ibe was their best outlet going forward but Christian Benteke was left isolated ahead of him and wasted a good chance from a corner, while Roberto Firmino looked a vastly inferior player to the one who tormented Manchester City two weekends ago.

Newcastle 2-0 Liverpool: Klopp - Game was not the biggest fun

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Game was not the biggest fun - Klopp

Once Benteke and Firmino were replaced by Sturridge and Adam Lallana after the hour mark, Liverpool found a better rhythm to their play.

However, Sturridge, playing in only his fifth Premier League game of the season after injury, wasted a good chance to equalise and Moreno was denied a wonderful volley from an angle.

The result leaves Liverpool in seventh place, six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

Steve McClaren admitted his team had been on the brink of a crisis but said the win was "absolutely massive"

Newcastle show resilience previously lacking

Liverpool did not reach the levels of recent weeks, when they secured away wins at Chelsea and Manchester City, but Newcastle showed a ruggedness and willingness to track back which has been in short supply this season.

Right-back Paul Dummett had a busy afternoon as he came up against the energetic Ibe, but kept the Liverpool youngster at bay, while Vernon Anita and Jack Colback were robust in central midfield.

Elsewhere, forward Siem de Jong, on his first Premier League start of the season, often tracked back to help out his team-mates which helped Newcastle set up a platform for the victory.

Liverpool were more positive once Sturridge was introduced, yet it allowed McClaren's team to sit back and break, which suited the pace of Sissoko and Wijnaldum, and they combined superbly for the second goal, which sent St James' Park into raptures.

Manager reaction

Newcastle manager Steve McClaren on the win: "It's absolutely huge, absolutely massive. Once or twice we've taken ourselves to the brink of crisis and clawed our way back and that's what we've done today.

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McClaren delighted after 'huge' win

"We worked hard, it is so tough to get a result in this league. We've crawled off the field, we've put in so much effort. That's what we need every week."

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp: "I think we deserved a point maybe but not more because we didn't play well enough. I like to play the dirty points too - it's no problem. If Alberto's goal was given it was 1-1 then the game can change. Until then we didn't play as well as we like to.

"I have to watch the game again. We were not really in the game. We were not aggressive enough or close enough. There were good moments for pressing but we didn't do it."

Stats you need to know

Newcastle have won four of their last six home Premier League matches against Liverpool (D1 L1), including the last two.
The Magpies netted as many goals in this game versus Liverpool as they had in their past five Premier League games combined.
All seven of Georginio Wijnaldum's Premier League goals for Newcastle have arrived at St James' Park.
Martin Skrtel now has seven Premier League own goals - only Richard Dunne (10) has more (Jamie Carragher also has 7).
Fabricio Coloccini made his 200th Premier League appearance. Only one other Argentine (Carlos Tevez - 202) has bettered this milestone.

What next?

Newcastle travel to Tottenham next Sunday before hosting Aston Villa the following Saturday, while Liverpool are at FC Sion in the Europa League and host West Brom next Sunday.

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)

Newcastle United

21 Elliot
22 Janmaat
02 Coloccini
18 Mbemba
03 Dummett
07 Sissoko
04 Colback Booked (Gouffran - 77' )
08 Anita Booked
05 Wijnaldum
10 de Jong (Pérez - 68' )
09 Cissé Booked (Thauvin - 82' )

Substitutes

11 Gouffran
17 Pérez
20 Thauvin
26 Darlow
42 Sterry
43 Mbabu
45 Mitrovic

Liverpool

22 Mignolet
02 Clyne
37 Skrtel
06 Lovren
18 Moreno
21 Lucas Booked
24 Allen
33 Ibe (Origi - 75' )
11 Firmino (Sturridge - 62' )
07 Milner
09 Benteke (Lallana - 62' )

Substitutes

04 K Touré
14 Henderson
15 Sturridge
20 Lallana
27 Origi
34 Bogdan
56 Randall

Ref: Andre Marriner

Att: 51,273

Match Stats

Possession 40 60

Shots

6 10

On target

1 1

Corners

2 7

Fouls

6 10

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Newcastle United 2, Liverpool 0.

90:00 +6:48 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Newcastle United 2, Liverpool 0.

90:00 +5:26

Offside, Liverpool. Dejan Lovren tries a through ball, but Divock Origi is caught offside.

90:00 +2:56 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Newcastle United 2, Liverpool 0. Georginio Wijnaldum (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko with a through ball.

90:00 +1:18

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

90:00 +0:18

Delay in match Martin Skrtel (Liverpool) because of an injury.