Liverpool go 13 points clear after Mac Allister completes stroll past Newcastle

That red speck disappearing over the horizon is Liverpool. Arne Slot’s relentless side stretched their Premier League lead to 13 points with 10 games to play courtesy of an assured victory over Newcastle. The strongest team in the league is improving while so-called title rivals falter, and Anfield knows what is coming.

At 9.22pm news filtered through of Arsenal’s draw at Nottingham Forest in the earlier kick-off. The first chant of “Liverpool, top of the league” emerged from the Kop. Alexis Mac Allister soon added to Dominik Szoboszlai’s first-half goal with an emphatic finish of his own and the title-winning atmosphere cranked up. Anfield was denied the chance to roar home league championship No 19 due to the pandemic. The procession towards No 20 affords Liverpool supporters plenty of time to make amends. The run-in is turning into a lap of honour.

Newcastle signalled the end of a demanding sequence of five games in 15 days for the Premier League leaders. It was portrayed as a defining period in the title race and so it has proved. Liverpool have emerged in a more commanding position than they started, the doubts that followed Everton, Wolves and Aston Villa convincingly dispelled. Eddie Howe must hope key players return from injury and confidence is not too badly affected when the two clubs meet again in the Carabao Cup final in 18 days’ time. The Newcastle manager praised a display that was vastly improved on the previous away game at Manchester City, yet his team never laid a glove on their impending Wembley opponents.

Slot sat at the back of the directors’ box having been handed a two-match touchline ban for improper conduct following the recent Merseyside derby. With his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, also banned for two games for his behaviour at Goodison Park it fell to a former Everton player, John Heitinga, to direct Liverpool from the technical area. In keeping with Slot’s entire Anfield reign, it was a seamless transition.

There was no let-up from a Liverpool team that enjoys a clear view from the Premier League summit. Their work rate and desire were again exemplary, confidence understandably high. Luis Díaz was a tireless presence who Tino Livramento struggled to contain.

Mohamed Salah thought he should have had an early penalty when, attempting to reach Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cute pass inside Lewis Hall, the Newcastle left-back tumbled in front of him and sent the forward sprawling. Salah was aghast when penalised for a foul on Hall. Slot was not impressed by the referee Stuart Attwell’s decision either, judging by his reaction in the stands. Better to keep a distance sometimes.

Slot was soon celebrating in the posh seats, however, when Szoboszlai steered home a polished finish for the second successive game. Díaz was the architect of the breakthrough, attacking Livramento and flicking the ball back to the unmarked Liverpool midfielder when approaching the byline. Szoboszlai’s shot lacked power but sailed between the legs of Sandro Tonali and flicked off Dan Burn to beat an unsighted Nick Pope down the centre of Newcastle’s goal. The Hungary captain has been under instruction to shoot more and has clearly taken Slot’s message on board. The goals at Manchester City on Sunday and against Newcastle were reward for relentless shifts from the increasingly influential midfielder.

Newcastle’s task had become more complicated before kick-off, in fairness, when Alexander Isak joined Joelinton and Sven Botman on the sidelines with a groin injury. The loss of his leading striker forced Howe to hand Callum Wilson a first league start of the season and adjust to a 4-4-1-1, with Anthony Gordon playing off the recalled forward. Wilson’s lack of match sharpness showed when he was twice played through on Alisson’s goal and twice fluffed the finish. The first, from Gordon’s piercing pass, would have been ruled out for offside anyway but Wilson was onside when Burn’s long ball caught out Ibrahima Konaté. His shot sailed well wide of the Kop goal.

There was more belief in Newcastle’s second-half display but Liverpool ensured there was no way back in devastating fashion. The leaders’ second goal was another demonstration of Mac Allister’s intelligence and Salah’s vision.

The Argentina international seized on a loose pass by Sandro Tonali and drove at the visiting defence before finding Salah. Liverpool’s prolific marksman was crowded out yet, with his route to goal closed off, he worked space for a return pass to Mac Allister. The midfielder swept an emphatic first-time shot into the top corner of Pope’s goal and Salah had his 22nd assist of the season in all competitions. A sublime cross with the outside of Salah’s left foot almost produced another but Díaz poked wide at full stretch at the far post.