United must be proactive now after keeping Red tide at bay in defeat
WHAT Newcastle were doing in reality was protecting their goal difference for what could be a blanket finish to the Premier League desperation stakes.
That they came away from Anfield bruised but not battered with only Southampton having a superior goal ratio among the bottom eight is some real consolation carrying as it does the worth of an extra point.
And the Saints are United’s next opponent at the beginning of a hectic and horrific run of away games for the sinners of the south coast.
Four of their next five are on their opponent’s turf – Newcastle, West Ham, Arsenal and Leicester with only Chelsea at home in between. They must be made to pay.
Anfield was predictable. The Magpies’ defending in numbers with discipline and desire before the usual suspects, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, inevitably scored.
The difference between the two teams was best summed up by one startling fact – when Salah opened the scoring it was his 32nd goal of a glorious season – and matched the number scored by the entire Newcastle squad.
It was a goal engineered by the running and vision of Alex OxladeChamberlain, who fed Salah in space. His strike was his 21st goal with his deadly left foot, a Premier League record for you trivia buffs.
In fact it wasn’t struck that clinically, hitting and going between keeper Martin Dubravka’s legs.
If Paul Dummett had been in two minds moving to cover Roberto Firmino, his overall performance was excellent as he repeatedly timed telling tackles to stem the Red tide.
Liverpool’s second was a typical team goal with Firmino contemptuously flicking the final pass to Mane, who buried it with total assurance. Rafa Benitez always seemed destined to lose for the first time on his managerial return to his spiritual home. What was required was avoiding a drubbing that would do further hurt to fragile hopes. So it was damage limitation after going 2-0 down before an hour was up. While Liverpool dominated the ball they weren’t at their free-flowing best playing in front of United’s massed ranks and at too slow a pace. John Gibson
However, United rarely ventured out of their defensive shell.
Their only worthy effort was a Mo Diame smash on the stroke of half-time that produced a good one-handed save by Loris Karius, who has consigned ex-Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet to history.
Jurgen Klopp – a Jumping Jack Flash on the touchline – almost had a fit when Jamaal Lascelles grounded Salah inside the penalty area late on as the last man.
Luckily, referee Graham Scott took a lenient view. I have seen penalties given for less, and a 3-0 defeat with United’s skipper redcarded and suspended would have put a very different outlook on things.