Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle: Sadio Mane's double preserves hosts' 100 per cent start

Mohamed Salah scored the third as Liverpool extended their lead to five points over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League

By Oliver Yew

Sunday 15 September 2019 14:47, UK

Sadio Mane scored twice as Liverpool came from behind to preserve their 100 per cent start to the season with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle at Anfield.

Newcastle took a shock early lead through Jetro Willems' powerful strike (7) but Liverpool, who enjoyed 80 per cent possession in the first half, turned things around before half-time with Mane (28, 40) taking his tally for goals in the Premier league this season to four.

Liverpool continued to dominate after the break and the game was eventually made safe by Mohamed Salah as Jurgen Klopp's side extended their lead over Manchester City, who suffered a shock defeat at Norwich live on Saturday Night Football, at the top to five points.

A third defeat of the season sees Newcastle drop to 16th in the table.

How Liverpool extended their winning run

Anfield was left stunned after just seven minutes when Willems, picked out by Christian Atsu on the left flank, cut inside Trent Alexander-Arnold with an excellent piece of skill before striking a powerful right-footed shot into the top corner.

Player ratings

Liverpool: Adrian (7), Alexander-Arnold (7), Matip (7), Van Dijk (7), Robertson (7), Fabinho (7), Wijnaldum (7), Oxlade-Chamberlain (7), Mane (9), Origi (6), Salah (8).

Subs: Firmino (8), Milner (6), Shaqiri (n/a)

Newcastle: Dubravka (8), Krafth (6), Lascelles (7), Schar (6), Dummett (7), Atsu (7), Hayden (6), Shelvey (6), Willems (7), Almiron (7), Joelinton (7).

Subs: Muto (6), Manquillo (6), Fernandez (n/a)

Man of the match: Sadio Mane

Klopp needed a response from his side and he got one when Andy Robertson squared to Mane, who curled a superb finish into the top right corner from inside the penalty area.

After the equaliser it was all Liverpool. The hosts thought they should have had a penalty when Joel Matip looked to have been dragged down by Jamaal Lascelles while attacking a corner, but referee Andre Marriner, and VAR, remained unmoved.

Liverpool eventually took the lead five minutes before the break thanks to a touch of good fortune.

Roberto Firmino, on in place of the injured Divock Origi, slid the ball through to Mane but the ball rebounded off Martin Dubravka and onto Mane to hand the Senegal international a tap-in from close range for his second.

Firmino was once again Liverpool's creator as Salah doubled his side's advantage. The Brazilian striker's exquisite backheeled flick pass released Salah in behind the Newcastle defence and he finished in clinical style to extend Liverpool's winning run to 14 matches.

Man of the match - Sadio Mane

Mane did what he does best at the moment - rescue Liverpool from a tough start. He was their saviour at Southampton back in August and his two goals relieved any pressure on them before half-time here today too.

He's rapidly rivalling Mo Salah as Liverpool's most important attacking option and the Reds have, more than three years after his arrival, not lost a single home game in which he's scored, a record he also held at his former club Southampton too.

Opta stats

Liverpool are the fourth team to win 14 consecutive English top-flight matches, after Arsenal (14, August 2002), Man City (15, August 2019) and Man City again (18, December 2017).
Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 50 Premier League goals for Liverpool at Anfield, scoring 36 and providing 14 assists (41st appearance).
Newcastle's Jetro Willems scored his first ever goal within the top five European leagues, in what was his 49th such appearance (three for Newcastle and 46 for Eintracht Frankfurt).

What's next?

Next up in the Premier League for Liverpool is a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Frank Lampard's Chelsea on Sunday, September 22, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League (kick-off at 4.30pm).

Before that, Klopp's side's Champions League defence gets underway on Tuesday against Serie A side Napoli at the San Paolo stadium (kick-off at 8pm).

Newcastle are also live on Sky Sports next weekend when they face Brighton at St James' Park on Saturday, September 21 (kick-off at 5.30pm).

How to watch Premier League highlights

This season you can watch Premier League highlights just after the full-time whistle for free and without being a Sky Sports subscriber.

We'll bring you highlights of every Premier League game on the Sky Sports website and app at full-time or from 5.15pm on Saturday afternoons.

You'll also be able to watch in-game goals from Sky Live games on Twitter and catch Premier League highlights on our Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.