Liverpool extend EPL lead after beating Newcastle
Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool stretched Newcastle's miserable run with a 4-2 victory at Anfield to open up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp's team should have run out even more convincing winners as Martin Dubravka saved Salah's first-half penalty among 10 stops. But Salah made amends from the spot after he, Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo had netted in the second half to inflict a seventh defeat in eight games on Newcastle. Liverpool head into the Premier League's winter break five points clear of title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, with Aston Villa posing an unexpected challenge in second place. Newcastle, by contrast, remain down in ninth and 11 points off the top four as the spotlight grows on Eddie Howe. The Magpies have the second worst away record in the Premier League this season and were fortunate not to be blown away by an embarrassing scoreline in stormy conditions at Anfield. Trent Alexander-Arnold had sent the first warning shot just wide inside two minutes as Liverpool flew out of the blocks. Dubravka has struggled to deputise for the sidelined Nick Pope as Newcastle's form has slumped in recent weeks while battling an injury crisis. But the Slovakian was in top form as he denied Darwin Nunez from close range. Luis Diaz did have the ball in the net shortly afterwards, but the goal was ruled out for offside against Nunez. Diaz was then upended in the box by Sven Botman. But Dubravka bailed out the Dutch defender by denying Salah his 150th Premier League goal for Liverpool from the spot. The Egyptian, who was playing in his final game before heading out to the African Cup of Nations, has now missed four of his last 10 spot-kicks for the Reds. (AFP)