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In their relentless pursuit of the Premier League title, Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the table to 13 points with a 2-0 triumph over Newcastle United. Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister in either half sealed a well-deserved victory for the Reds, who capitalized on Arsenal’s stalemate with Nottingham Forest to further consolidate their position.
The match got off to a thrilling start, with both teams putting on full parade their attacking prowess despite the rain-soaked conditions at Anfield. The hosts and visitors engaged in an end-to-end contest, with Liverpool drawing first blood in the 11th minute. Szoboszlai’s precise left-footed finish from Luis Diaz’s pull-back proved too elusive for Nick Pope, who might have done better to prevent the goal.
The hosts continued to press, but Kostas Tsimikas squandered a gilt-edged opportunity, blasting over with his weaker right foot. Newcastle’s response was lukewarm, with Callum Wilson spurning a one-on-one chance, firing wide as Liverpool’s defenders anticipated an offside flag that never came. Szoboszlai nearly doubled his tally on the stroke of halftime, curling a shot agonizingly wide from just inside the box.
The interval seemed to sap the energy from the game, with Liverpool content to contain and Newcastle adopting a more cautious approach in a bid to stay in contention. Eddie Howe’s side was also forced to deal with the late withdrawal of Alexander Isak from the squad due to a groin injury. However, any hopes of a Newcastle resurgence were extinguished in the 61st minute, as Mac Allister rifled home Liverpool’s second goal at the Kop end, from Mohamed Salah’s astute pass.
Salah waited patiently before rolling the ball into Mac Allister’s path in the box, allowing the Argentine midfielder to unleash a powerful shot that sealed the victory. With the result all but sealed, Liverpool dominated the remainder of the game, with Cody Gakpo coming closest to adding a third goal before the final whistle sounded, confirming another 2-0 victory for the Reds and a step closer to winning the Premier League.
