Three things we learned from Newcastle

#Newcastle – #Liverpool: A day for the goalkeepers saw #Liverpool drop points for the second-successive match in a scoreless draw with #Newcastle #United at #St. #James’ #Park on #Wednesday.

The #Reds followed up their 1-1 home draw with #West #Brom by failing to take the first half by the horns up north, dropping points on successive matchdays for the first time since losing to #Aston #Villa and drawing #Everton in #October.

#Liverpool’s 33 points are three points more than second-place #Manchester #United, who has a match-in-hand.

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#It’s the first time #Liverpool hasn’t scored in a league match this season, and the first time they’ve been blanked in the PL since a 4-0 loss to #Man #City on #July 2.

#Newcastle’s winless run reaches four but #Steve #Bruce will hardly care as his #Magpies rise to 14th on 19 points, eight clear of the bottom three.

#Isaac #Hayden saw a late yellow card and will be suspended for #Sunday’s visit from #Leicester #City, as #Newcastle bids for another top four opponent.

STREAM NEWCASTLE – LIVERPOOL FULL MATCH REPLAY

#Three things we learned from #Newcastle – #Liverpool

1. #Reds labor again: The hosts entered the game with an average of just 9.1 shot attempts per game this season, but took six in the first half alone against a #Liverpool side expected to be angry after the draw with bottom-three visitors #West #Brom. #Goals could’ve been there early and the second half was all about the champions trying in vain to beat #Darlow. #Still, #Liverpool did not and will know what its three-point lead on #Manchester #United, who has a game-in-hand, will make a #Jan. 17 rivalry match quite the consequential spectacle.

2. #Darlow, #Alisson trade show stoppers: #Newcastle backstop #Karl #Darlow is used to being called upon for heroics and had three terrific saves — two of them out-of-this-world — to keep #Newcastle alive early and late. The last one also included some really clever disguising from the keeper, who made a super save on #Sadio #Mane and took hold of the #Senegalese star’s right thigh to give #Ritchie an extra second to clear the danger off the line. VAR did not see anything wrong if it did review the potential penalty.

The cherry on top was #Alisson’s 79th-minute two-handed save of a #Ciaran #Clark header after #Joelinton won a dangerous free kick off of #Nathaniel #Philipps, who saw a yellow card for breaking up the #Brazilian’s race to the ball on the right side line.

#Or was it? #Darlow made another stunning save in the 88th minute, getting low to deny #Firmino’s header off a #Liverpool corner and #Yedlin joined #Matty #Longstaff in clearing the ensuing battle of desperate headers.

ALISSON! 🤯

The keeper keeps this one scoreless! #NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/pehMVmcLgo

— NBC #Sports #Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) #December 30, 2020

3.#Thiago returns: #It wasn’t anything extraterrestrial on the field, but 21-of-23 passes, 6-of-6 long passes, and 6-of-6 duels won? #Thiago #Alcantara’s return to the pitch for #Liverpool will give the #Reds a huge boost as they build up confidence in the race for a second-straight PL title. #His service was terrific over 17 minutes in red, and the difference in quality was enough that just three more minutes would’ve likely been enough to break apart #Newcastle. #Think KDB’s vision without the finishing prowess.

#Co-Men of the #Match: #DeAndre #Yedlin and #Karl #Darlow

#We’ve detailed #Darlow’s incredible saves and– so was ex-Magpies midfielder #James #Milner — the USMNT right back had his best and most complete match in years. #He limited #Andy #Robertson and #Sadio #Mane while making big challenges, using his speed equally going forward and in recovery. #James #Milner and #Mohamed #Salah joined #Alisson in playing well, though #Salah’s lack of finish could plague his evening.

#Newcastle – #Liverpool recap

#Callum #Wilson ran onto a longball and spun #Nathaniel #Phillips. #Driving the box, his in-tight shot was blocked for a corner by a lunging #Fabinho.

#Liverpool had most of the ball, as expected, and a mishit #Federico #Fernandez allowed #James #Milner to take a low shot saved by #Karl #Darlow in the 16th minute.

The #Magpies countered and #Wilson played #DeAndre #Yedlin into the right side of the 18 for a shot #Andy #Robertson deflected out for a corner.

#Newcastle was happy to keep #Liverpool wide and hope for counterattacks, and #Jacob #Murphy missed the net with a curling effort for the hosts in the 33rd minute.

#Mohamed #Salah got a 1v1 break when he broke #Newcastle’s line but #Darlow got a piece of the #Egyptian’s shot to concede a corner.

#Newcastle had a spell of possession before halftime, and #Murphy’s low left-footed shot was comfortably saved by #Alisson #Becker.

A sloppy 42nd minute forced a terrific sliding clearance out of #Yedlin in what looked to be a surefire chance for the #Reds to go ahead.

#Darlow made a second terrific save on a #Firmino stoppage-time header that was nodded hard but a bit too central.

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DARLOW 😱

#We’re scoreless at the break after some OUTSTANDING work from both keepers. #NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/u44keRnDMz

— NBC #Sports #Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) #December 30, 2020

#Yedlin led an attack and drew a yellow card from #Fabinho in the 49th minute.

#Free kicks and corners came for both teams, with #Mane nodding one of the latter off the outside of the netting at the near post. #Darlow appeared to have it covered.

#Firmino sent #Salah through on call but the #Egyptian failed to swerve his shot inside the far post, keeping it scoreless with 24 minutes left in the 90.

The #Liverpool pressure ramped up further, and the #Reds were in their best form of the day when #Federico #Fernandez’s two-footed slide deprived #Salah of a shot in the 72nd.

#Alisson and #Darlow traded amazing saves in the final quarter-hour, the #Liverpool backstop making a two-handed diving save on a #Ciaran #Clark header and #Darlow stymying #Mane.

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