DBasia.news – A 3-2 victory over Newcastle United in Week 37 of the Premier League at St James Park, Sunday (5/5) WIB, was enough for Liverpool to top the standings with 94 points, two points adrift from Manchester City who will play against Leicester City ,Tuesday (7/5) WIB.
Newcastle, coached by former Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, applied a 3-4-3 formation by relying on Christian Atsu, Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez on the front lines. The tactic immediately changed to 5-3-2 in the defensive phase.
The tactic went well enough for the hosts to resist the onslaught of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Daniel Sturridge. The names mentioned later played as a central striker in 4-3-3 tactics replacing Roberto Firmino.
Newcastle’s tight defense can only be broken by Liverpool in the 13th minute. The winner of the PFA version of the Premier League Best Player, Virgil van Dijk, gored the ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross bait and converted it into a goal. 1-0.
Newcastle was stung by the goal and was able to respond seven minutes later via Atsu’s close range kick. The rebounding ball which was blocked by Alexander-Arnold when holding Rondon’s shot was struck by Atsu and turned it into a goal. The position is equally strong 1-1.
The hosts played well to match Liverpool’s game. However, the individual quality of the Liverpool players became a difference in the 28th minute. The Egyptian attacker grabbed the ball from Alexander-Arnold’s cross bait with a first time kick and headed to the right of the Newcastle goal. The score changed 2-1 for Liverpool’s advantage.
The position lasted until the first half ended. Liverpool took the lead, but Newcastle also showed their threat when penetrating in the third of Liverpool’s defense.
In the second half, Benitez allegedly wanted his foster children to increase the intensity of the attack and the host’s second goal was immediately scored on the 54th minute. Rondon fired hard from close range when grabbing a wild ball from the turmoil in front of Liverpool’s goal. 2-2.
Klopp has put forth maximum effort by including Xherdan Shaqiri, Divock Origi, and James Milner, replacing Georginio Wijnaldum, Mo Salah, and Dejan Lovren. Mo Salah’s withdrawal was quite worrying as he was injured.
The effort from Klopp produced results from a dramatic goal that was created by Origi in the 86th minute. The two substitutes became a super-sub through a pass from Shaqiri’s free kick which was struck by Origi with his head down. The score changed to 3-2.
Eight minutes of extra time was given in the second half after the treatment of Mo Salah’s injury . But there were no more goals created at St James Park, Liverpool won 3-2 and returned to the top of the Premier League.