Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League aspirations are hanging by a thread after they dropped two points on Saturday in the 1-1 Premier League draw against Newcastle United.
The Magpies scored an injury-time equalizer to earn a vital point in the battle to avoid the drop at the end of the season.
Liverpool could have put the game to bed in the first half but missed a plethora of chances despite Mohamed Salah’s third-minute strike which looked like it would open the floodgates.
But, after seeing a Callum Wilson equaliser harshly ruled out for handball by VAR at the death, the Magpies finally got their goal as Joe Willock thrashed home late on.
The hosts wasted little time in stamping their authority on proceedings, with just three minutes having elapsed before Salah powered a shot beyond Martin Dubravka after brilliantly controlling Ciaran Clark’s attempted clearance inside the box.
In scoring, the Egyptian became the first Liverpool player to reach 20 Premier League goals in three consecutive seasons, and joined Dick Forshaw in 12th on the club’s all-time top scorers list with 123.
The Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp looked to tighten things up in midfield as he introduced James Milner in place of Jota just before the hour mark.
And that substitution appeared to have helped bring about a more sedate final half hour in which Liverpool sealed three crucial points. But, after a VAR review denied Wilson an injury-time equaliser for an unavoidable handball, Willock grabbed one anyway, powering a deflected strike in after the ball had fallen to him in the box.
