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Liverpool enter 2021 with a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League after a goalless draw with Newcastle United on Wednesday night.
The Reds played the second consecutive game in the top flight when Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino saw their most promising opportunities stopped by Karl Darlow in the magpies network.
Thiago Alcantara returned to St. James’ Park, entering action as a substitute in the second half of his first appearance since mid-October.
But a winner did not materialize, although the champions concluded their schedule for the calendar year sitting at the top of the division.
Team news
Jürgen Klopp made two changes to his starting eleven at St. James’ Park, one of which was applied: Nathaniel Phillips replaced the injured Joel Matip in central defense.
James Milner was deployed in midfield against one of his former clubs, with Georginio Wijnaldum falling to a bench that also included Thiago, who is back after a knee injury.
First half
The home side started off brilliantly and seized the first serious scoring opportunity in 12 minutes.
Matthew Longstaff’s cut pass over the top to the left channel invited Callum Wilson to chase down Phillips and line up a shot from close range as he stormed into the penalty area.
But Fabinho covered and his foot intervention was perfectly timed and positioned to deflect Alisson Becker’s effort and Liverpool’s goal.
At the other end, Milner pulled a comfortable save from Darlow as he moved to a loose ball 25 yards away and sent it back with a low southpaw for the first time.
Andy Robertson was able to continue after needing treatment due to a collision with DeAndre Yedlin and the left-back selected a free Firmino in the 32nd minute.
His wide cross from the side matched the Brazilian’s rise to the area, only for Firmino’s touch to disappoint him and allow Newcastle to punt.
The best opportunity of the first 45 minutes for the Reds soon came for Salah.
Jordan Henderson arched a fly pass into the box from Magpies for No. 11, who evaded an offside call by a small margin and controlled the ball just enough to create a one-on-one situation with Darlow.
Salah tried to thread his shot between the opposing goalkeeper and the left post, but was thwarted by Darlow’s outstretched fingers, who sent the shot wide.
In added time, the hosts’ stopper again denied the visitors, this time repelled a header from Firmino from Sadio Mane’s spinning shot to the center. And so it was a stalemate at halftime.
Second half
Liverpool settled into a dominance of possession as the second half followed and Mane nodded to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s near post corner when he had nine minutes to go.
The hour mark came with little suggestion that a breakthrough was coming at both ends, but it could have done so for the Reds with back-to-back opportunities mid-period.
First, Firmino’s laborious work around the midline preceded a careful forward pass for Salah, in the space to the right, to push Darlow off.
Having entered inside a defender, he opened his body and attempted to shape a shot through the goalkeeper and into the opposite corner, only to guide him the wrong way.
Then Robertson’s deep, deflected corner from the right passed over Darlow and hit Firmino at the back post with a sizable segment of the defenseless goal, but his header was deflected.
Klopp opted for changes between those opportunities, with Wijnaldum and then Thiago introduced from the bench in the quest to open Newcastle.
Alisson was forced to make a vital save as the game approached its final 10 minutes, the number one reacting quickly to repel Ciaran Clark’s header through the goal from a free kick.
Within moments, the home team was in debt to Fabian Schar, who hooked the ball off the line before Mane could touch after Darlow kicked an Alexander-Arnold cross against the Reds forward.
The Magpies custodian managed another header from Firmino in the final minutes, and he continued to avoid a rebound as well, and Liverpool had to settle for a point to sign 2020.
