Analysis: Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp’s team started in a 4-3-3, moving to a flat 4-4-2 in the defensive phase, with one of Sadio Mane or Mo Salah dropping back into the midfield. Liverpool’s first line of pressure, mainly Roberto Firmino along with Mane and Salah, closed off central passing lanes and pressed to try and win possession back as high up the pitch as possible.

The home side were solid in midfield, always outnumbering the ball-carrier and limiting his passing options. The trio of Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Emre Can were quick to seek out interceptions and prevent Newcastle from progressing through the middle. Their defensive line was focused and well positioned in their own third throughout the match. Dejan Lovren and Virgil van Dijk were dominant in the air and nullified any potential threat from direct Newcastle balls into Dwight Gayle. The only times the defensive line was in any way threatened came when the Magpies moved the ball wide from midfield areas and managed to get crosses in to dangerous areas – but the home side generally dealt easily with this too.

In the defensive transition, they were well prepared for any turnovers and able to immediately press having lost the ball. Henderson, the deepest-lying of the midfield three, covered any gaps that could be exploited behind the defensive line.

In attack, they looked to play out from the back, with Loris Karius looking for his centre-backs. They were put under little pressure and not afraid to carry the ball into the opposition half – van Dijk in particular was given time and space to play into Can or Henderson repeatedly.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah and Can played with great positional freedom; they moved around in attack and worked hard to find spaces in between the lines and in behind Newcastle’s defenders. The visitors found it difficult to defend runs in behind them, as shown by both Liverpool goals, but were also vulnerable in wide positions. The movement of Mane and Salah inside from their wide starting positions created space for both full-backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, to advance into.