Liverpool Tops Newcastle 2-0

Jurgen Klopp's men came out on top against an Eddie Howe side that went down to 10 men in the 22nd minute. Liverpool scored twice to take control of proceedings, with Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez adding further goals for a comfortable victory.

Liverpool are now just six points behind fourth-place Manchester United with one game left to play. A victory is crucial for the Reds as they strive for a top four finish.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool are buoyant after their impressive 2-0 victory against 10-man Newcastle, giving Jurgen Klopp plenty of confidence heading into next week's Champions League clash against Real Madrid. Trent Alexander-Arnold was an outstanding player for Liverpool during their rout, and his performance will give Jurgen Klopp plenty of encouragement going into next week's big match.

Alexander-Arnold made a strong start and was instrumental in Liverpool's first goal when he played an exquisite pass to Darwin Nunez, who then finished off by taking his chance inside the box. Virgil van Dijk also had a good game, but Trent stood out as by far the best defender on the pitch.

Sky Sports' pundits praised the England defender after his performance, suggesting that he may be returning to form. Though he didn't get many opportunities, his defense has drastically improved and it's encouraging to see that he is playing well again.

There was one moment of controversy which garnered much attention on social media: in the 18th minute, Alexis Sanchez barged into Tottenham Hotspur defender Ryan Sessegnon. Sessegnon appeared to have been knocked over but no penalty was awarded by referee Kevin Corcoran.

Some fans were dubious about the decision, while others felt it was right to save Alexander-Arnold from a red card. Although the England defender kept Salomon Rondon's fierce shot out with his elbow, Christian Atsu eventually scored an equaliser on the line.

After the incident, people took to Twitter and began debating whether Alexander-Arnold should or not have been sent off for handball. Some believed he should have been dismissed while others simply enjoyed that he didn't receive a red card.

Many were quick to criticize the decision to award a goal to Liverpool. Although Newcastle had been dominating, it proved an incredible goal for Liverpool, who went on to win 2-0.

Liverpool have now moved up to eighth, giving themselves some much-needed confidence ahead of Real Madrid on Tuesday. Jurgen Klopp and his players can proudly celebrate this victory after such a dominant performance against Manchester United last night.

Virgil van Dijk

Last season, Jurgen Klopp relied on Virgil van Dijk to give Liverpool the boost of confidence they needed to win the Champions League. But the Dutchman has already demonstrated just how pivotal he is to Liverpool's cause in this year's Premier League as well. His performance against Manchester United on Tuesday night marked one of his best performances as a centre-half in three matches so far this campaign.

Van Dijk put in an impressive performance at the heart of Liverpool's defence to help them defeat Newcastle and maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign. After missing a month due to a hamstring injury, he returned to start alongside Joe Gomez as they won 2-0 - giving van Dijk plenty of chances throughout the match.

The Dutch defender was at his best when Liverpool needed him most. He filled the void left by Jurgen Klopp's departure to Bayern Munich in January, playing as the centre-half that the Premier League has been missing ever since.

He had the ability to control midfield and press hard, as well as provide support from his defending. Furthermore, he was dangerous from set pieces, and when Newcastle attempted to break, he held their ground impressively.

Van Dijk played an integral role when Liverpool were on the attack, providing Mohamed Salah with the pass that resulted in his stunning low shot from inside the box. Furthermore, van Dijk created the opening goal when he found Darwin Nunez with a beautiful pass.

Van Dijk had an impressive start this season, averaging nine clearances per game this year and two more in the last 18 months compared to his average of six clearances per game during his first season at the club. It's an impressive improvement from van Dijk who started off slowly but steadily over his tenure at Manchester United.

But he has only managed one clean sheet in the Premier League this season - which came during his debut match at Watford back in February. If Liverpool want to take their game to the next level, change needs to come quickly.

Jurgen Klopp's side are prone to mistakes, and their performance against Crystal Palace demonstrated how serious this issue is. To turn things around, Liverpool must find a winning mindset again; whether that be due to complacency, insufficient fitness levels or simply lacking confidence - whatever the cause, action needs to be taken immediately.

Alexander Isak

Isak made his long-awaited return from a long-term thigh injury and scored off the bench for Newcastle. As an integral part of a Newcastle attack that has been outstanding, his return will elevate the team as a whole. When fully fit, Callum Wilson may begin taking away some playing time at center forward while Chris Wood remains an effective third-stringer.

Liverpool had the majority of possession, but their chances were few and far between. After just 10 minutes though, Renato Nunez controlled Trent Alexander-Arnold's excellent ball over top and fired past Pope - his effort surviving a VAR check for offside.

After only 22 minutes, Manchester United were reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Nick Pope raced out to collect Alisson's long ball but misjudged its flight and diverted his diving header onto his arm - leading to a straight red card. That effectively ended the game for them and brought an end to their season.

Liverpool were able to open up more with Pope out of the game, and took the lead after 52 minutes when Robertson's cross was met by Fabinho who headed home the Egyptian's goal. This goal earned him a standing ovation from home fans before providing an assist for Mohamed Salah's second goal of the night.

Fabinho scored his first goal of the season to become just the fourth Liverpool player to score in their opening three matches, joining Virgil van Dijk, Robertson and Xherdan Shaqiri. His goal was a brilliant piece of individual play that served as an inspiring example of how Fabinho has come from nowhere to become an important figure in Premier League competition.

He is a swift striker with both feet capable of finishing. However, his control and quickness make him an ideal addition to Callum Wilson's forward line, who will remain the primary option at center forward. While it's too early to tell how much playing time Isak will receive in the Premier League, expect him to become a regular starter over the coming weeks.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool have now won three games in a row for the first time this season and are within striking distance of top six. A 2-0 victory against Newcastle at St James' Park was secured thanks to Darwin Nunez's early goal and Cody Gakpo's clinical finish.

Salah scored for the third time this season and has now scored at 24 different away venues in his Liverpool career - only Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen (both 25) have more goals. He completed an incredible counterattack just 12 seconds after James Tarkowski had hit the post.

He has scored in five of the last seven matches for Liverpool and now has 13 goals in 20 games for Jurgen Klopp's side. The Egyptian is now regarded as one of the top strikers worldwide, having topped FWA's Premier League awards and being second on this year's Ballon d'Or shortlist.

He is renowned for his charitable work, having donated three million Egyptian pounds to rebuild and restore Abu Sifin Coptic Church in Giza after it burned down over the weekend. Additionally, he provided oxygen and an ambulance to those suffering from coronavirus in Egypt as well as funding a bone marrow transplant machine.

Mohamed Salah has been nominated for a second consecutive Fans' Footballer of the Year award, facing off against some formidable competition from Premier League stars and Beth Mead - winner of the women's European Championship.

The Egyptian was unanimously elected the FWA's Premier League Player of the Year, defeating competition from Tottenham star Harry Kane and Liverpool's Sadio Mane. Additionally, FourFourTwo named him the best right winger in the world.

On the field, he was an absolute delight to watch and played with confidence. His 11th-minute opener was superb, and he later capitalized on Eric Dier's error to double Liverpool's advantage.

Pope was sent off after 22 minutes for an act of pure madness, diverting Alisson Becker's clearance into his arm in a move which will see him miss the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United next week. Eddie Howe's side have lost all three league matches this season and must bolster their squad ahead of their trip to Wembley next week.