Mane scores twice as Liverpool fight back to beat Newscastle

Premier League leaders Liverpool shrugged off an early scare to sweep past Newcastle and maintain their 100% start to the season with another dominant attacking display.

Sadio Mane was again their go-to man, scoring twice in the first half after Jetro Willems’ fine first goal for Newcastle had given Steve Bruce’s side a shock early lead.

Mohamed Salah added a third after the break, with the third member of Liverpool’s attacking trinity Roberto Firmino providing two brilliant assists and stealing the show with a superb performance from the bench.

The Reds have now won 14 league games in a row in a run that stretches back to a draw at Everton in March – the joint third-best winning run in English top-flight history – and go five points clear at the top after second-placed Manchester City lost to Norwich in the evening game.

Newcastle never threatened to build on their surprise lead – which came via their only shot on target all day – and could not get near the European champions for large periods of a one-sided game.

They drop to 17th place, a point above the bottom three.

Three-part harmony

The spotlight was on Salah and Mane after their apparent disagreement last time out at Burnley, when the Senegal forward was seemingly annoyed at a lack of service from his Egyptian team-mate.

But back on home ground Liverpool’s front three were once again all on the same page and yet again proved the difference.

Firmino played an hour for Brazil in Los Angeles in midweek in a game that finished at 06:00 BST on Wednesday morning, and the plan was to give him some rest as Divock Origi started on the left of the front three.

But an injury for the Belgium striker meant the Brazil forward was introduced earlier than anticipated.

Mane had already equalised by that point, collecting a pass from Andrew Robertson and curling superbly into the top corner.

For those paying attention, Salah celebrated with a punch of the air.

Firmino then robbed Christian Atsu and slid in Mane with a beautiful pass. Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka should have gathered it but instead pushed it back towards Mane to allow the Liverpool forward to tap-in for his 19th goal in his last 21 Premier League appearances at Anfield.

After the break Firmino was even more impressive, laying on chances for both his full-backs before setting up the previously quiet Salah with a wonderful assist.

Receiving the ball with his back to goal, the Brazilian dragged the ball back then backheeled it into the path of Salah, who did the rest.

Manchester City’s record of 18 top-flight wins in a row remains on the agenda for Liverpool – as does Chelsea’s record of nine victories in a row at the start of a Premier League season.

Limited success for Bruce

Newcastle’s sole win this season was a surprise success at Tottenham, when they had only 19.8% possession of the ball but defended a lead manfully.

The gameplan was the same at Anfield – where they ended with 24.4% of the ball – and looked to be a good one when Willems cut inside a hesitant Trent Alexander-Arnold to rip past Adrian with his right foot in front of the raucous travelling support.

It was a fabulous goal and for 20 minutes or so Bruce’s flat back five looked hard to breach.

But when Emil Krafth thought a ball was there to be won and missed out to Robertson, the Scotland captain fed Mane and he effortlessly stroked the ball into the top corner.

After the equaliser – and especially once Mane had put the hosts ahead – there was a paucity of intent from the visitors.

Krafth had their only chance of note in the second half, collecting the ball in space at the far post but lashing high into the Kop after his slight hesitation allowed Virgil van Dijk the chance to put pressure on him.

By full-time Dubravka had been called on to make five decent saves and only a correct offside flag prevented Mane from bringing up his hat-trick.

Bruce, who has now won two of 39 Premier League away games against sides starting the day in the top four, will hope for easier tests ahead.

Man of the match – Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)

‘We arrived after 35 minutes’ – what they said

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “I started enjoying it after 35 minutes when we arrived in the game. It was difficult, Newcastle did what they did and did it well. They had the speed to go in behind on the break, it was not easy.

“We played them onside for the goal unfortunately and that made the game not easy. We had some time to set the rhythm, we had to play much quicker and then we had chances. We scored two wonderful goals.

“I’m not too pleased about coming from behind. We have to learn from the game. The challenge is always after the international break to find a common rhythm again. The boys have played in different ways for different countries and we have one-and-a-half days to work on it again.”

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce: “We were OK in bits. Unfortunately we made a mistake for the second goal and we are disappointed about that. When you come to an arena like this and give the ball away in the middle of the pitch you are in trouble. Our keeper will think he should do better.

“Jetro will remember that, it’s not often you smash into the top corner with your wrong foot. He has been thrown in at the deep end with us but the more he plays in the Premier League, you can see the ability he has got.

“Liverpool are as good as you get. You can understand why they are European champions and lost once last year. They are an excellent, excellent team with pace and creativity and at the top end of the pitch they damage you. They are going to be there or thereabouts.”

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