Key events
48 min “Nunez is a great asset to any opposition team!” writes Gary Neville Jeff Sax.
47 min Alexander-Arnold’s cross is brought down on the half-turn by Nunez, but Schar nips in to poke the ball away before he can shoot. Gary Neville criticises Nunez’s touch, though that looks slightly harsh – it wasn’t the easiest ball to kill.
46 min It’s still raining at Anfield, where Bruno Guimaraes has just kicked off the second half.
“Evening Rob and Happy New Year,” says Stephen Carr. “Interesting listening to Gary Neville’s comments about the Liverpool players complaining about decisions going against them. I remember Man United had a right back who was absolutely the worst for that sort of thing.”
Yeah but that was in a former life.
Half-time reading
“Happy New Year!” writes Liz White. “Slow, sleepy New Year’s day here but the game’s waking me up a bit. Everything but a goal. Enjoying the radio commentary’s various descriptions of rain. Might listen to my High Fidelity soundtrack later.
“Also could there be a NY’s resolution to scrap the toenail- offside goal checks? They’re annoying. Yes, I know they’re here to stay.”
“Joelinton’s off-the-ball suckerpunch against Szoboszlai reminds me of the way Guimarães did the same to PSG’s Ugarte in a similar situation,” says Kári Tulinius . “I’m just as mystified now as I was then why the Newcastle player wasn’t shown a straight red.”
Did he punch him? I thought he just pulled him back, though there was a lot going on and I was trying to fathom what the hell was happening at Ally Pally I think I only saw one quick replay.
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Newcastle
Goalless at Anfield, though that doesn’t tell the story of a frantic, increasingly tetchy first half. Both teams had goals disallowed for tight offsides and Mo Salah had a penalty saved by Martin Dubravka.
There are boos for the referee at half-time, though there have been no great injustices. Joelinton should have been booked; that’s about it. Liverpool have had 18 shots to Newcastle’s one, hence their frustration.
45+5 min Alexander-Arnold is the latest player to be booked for dissent. He goes looking for more with Anthony Taylor and is wisely pushed away by Konate.
45+3 min “Very happy new year and hope you’re keeping well,” says Russell Yong. “Re: the pre-game link to the match report of when Newcastle last beat Liverpool, it feels like a trick of the mind that Klopp’s been manager for almost eight years, and it provokes some philosophical thinking. He’s probably the least successful manager to have stayed this long at Liverpool, yet the fanbase seems largely unified behind him, in recognition of the even keel on which he runs them and the way he brings an element of pride to the club.
“When you see what he walked into (a squad that had the likes of Jordon Ibe, Alberto Moreno and Kevin Stewart), lost two finals that season, took three seasons to get them to another final, took yet another season to finally win something and a total of five seasons (during a pandemic, no less) to win the league, it really puts a lot into perspective, not least the fortunes and perceptions of a certain other red team and their manager.”
45+2 min Miley is booked for a lunge at Salah. He won the ball and followed through into Salah, but he was low enough to catch him on the foot rather than than the ankle.
45 min Now Diaz is booked for dissent. He thought he was fouled by Joelinton and punched the air in Anthony Taylor’s direction.
There will be five minutes of added booing towards Anthony Taylor.
44 min Liverpool aren’t happy that Joelinton wasn’t booked for a deliberate foul on Szoboszlai. It’s getting feisty.
42 min A dreadful pass from Alexander-Arnold goes straight to Miley, whose header threatens to put Isak through on goal. Van Dijk comes across to make an important interception and concede a corner.
39 min: Alexander-Arnold hits the bar! A crossfield pass bounces up awkwardly at Alexander-Arnold on the byline. He cuts across a ridiculous shot that beats Dubravka and hits the crossbar. That would have been an amazing goal. It was essentially a mirror image of this famous Roberto Carlos goal, except it hit the crossbar rather than going in.
No goal! Yep, Isak was marginally offside, just like Nunez in the lead-up to Diaz’s goal.
37 min This might be given…
37 min: Burn has a goal disallowed! Newcastle break from that Liverpool chance and Burn stoops to head Miley’s lovely cross past Alisson. The goal is disallowed for offside against Isak in the build-up. It’s another tight one.
36 min: Big save from Dubravka! A huge clearance puts Nunez one v one with Botman. He goes over and Nunez is through, but Dubravka flies out to save with his left leg.
34 min It’s still pelting down at Anfield, since you asked.
33 min “Interesting that Dubravka’s previous penalty save was from Troy Deeney because that was a Troy Deeney penalty,” says Gary Naylor. “Maybe takers need a water bottle as well as keepers?”
Ha, quite. It’s definitely worth studying keepers. I wonder whether West Germany did any research on Peter Shilton ahead of the 1990 semi-final. Probably not.
30 min Joelinton nutmegs Alexander-Arnold to spark a Newcastle break. Isak tries to play in Gordon, whose run is well tracked by Gomez. Moments later Isak has a shot blocked by Van Dijk, then the flag goes up.
29 min Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick leads to a shout for handball and a VAR check for a potential penalty. Van Dijk headed it onto the arm of Joelinton, but they were barely a yard apart. No penalty.
28 min Bruno Guimaraes is booked for a desperate lunge at Endo. Newcastle are being run ragged.
26 min Diaz plays in the underlapping Jones, who is well tracked by Miley. Corner to Liverpool, which leads to another when Van Dijk’s shot is blocked. The second corner leads to Konate heading well wide, though the flag was up.
25 min Liverpool have had 67 per cent possession and nine shots to Newcastle’s one. It’s 0-0.
24 min Jones’ long-range drive is saved by Dubravka, woh almost dived past the ball and did well to hold it in the end.
Dubravka saves the penalty!
23 min Salah hammered a poor penalty that was pushed away by Dubravka, diving to his left. The ball rebounded to Alexander-Arnold, who slashed it over the bar. That was a great chance too, even if the bounce was slightly awkward.
Newcastle aren’t happy – they think Diaz dived after hurdling Botman’s challenge. The VAR officials disagree.
20 min: Penalty to Liverpool! Diaz does incredibly well to evade Burn and Botman in a phonebox-sized space before being brought down by Botman.
