Premier League
Liverpool Dominate Newcastle
Liverpool crushed Newcastle to increase their lead at the top of the table. The Reds won 4-0 at home to extend their lead to six points above second placed Tottenham. The champions, Manchester City, suffered a second defeat in a row and slip into third place.
The result was never in doubt for Jurgen Klopp’s side. From the first whistle to the last, Liverpool controlled every aspect of the game. Newcastle did not give themselves a chance in this one. Although it was not a match that Rafael Benitez would have expected his team to win, he undoubtedly would have wanted a better fight. Dejan Lovren, Mohamed Salah, Xerdan Shaqiri, and Fabinho got on the scoresheet in the win.
Total Control
When I say that Liverpool controlled and dominated every single aspect of this match, I mean it quite literally. They controlled the possession for a staggering 76% of the time, one of the highest in Premier League history. Liverpool more than tripled the amount of completed passes by Newcastle, winning in that category 729 to 228. The hosts took 16 shots, eight of which they put on target. And of course, half of those shots on target found the back of the net. The win marks eight in a row for Liverpool as they start to pull away at the top of the table.
Relegation Fight
Newcastle United have only scored once in their last three matches. Although they sit five points above the drop zone, one or two good results from their rivals could put them in some trouble. The only team worse in front of goal this season is Huddersfield. The Terriers have scored 12 goals this year, two less than Newcastle. Defensively, Benitez’s side is one of the better at the back in the bottom half. They have allowed only 26 goals, five less than Manchester United. But if they do not find a way to score some more goals in the second half of the season, they could be in a dangerous spot.
Up Next
While the other top leagues take a long winter break to cool down, this is when things really heat up in the Premier League. Newcastle will face Watford away from home on December 29th before hosting Manchester United on January 2nd. Liverpool will be truly tested in the next two matches. On December 29th, Arsenal make the trip to Anfield. On January 3rd Liverpool travel to the champions. That will surely be one of the most important matches of the season.
Photo credit to Donald Trump via Flickr
