Szoboszlai and Mac Allister fire Liverpool closer to Premier League title
Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game against Newcastle. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
Liverpool strengthened their grip on the Premier League title while striking a psychological blow on Newcastle ahead of next month's Carabao Cup final.
Arsenal's goal-less stalemate at Nottingham Forest, meant this victory moved Arne Slot's relentless team 13 points clear - although they have played a game more than the north London club.
But it is going to take a catastrophic collapse for them to throw away only their second championship since 1990 and such is their current form that looks highly unlikely.
For once Mo Salah didn't get on the scoresheet with the goals coming from midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister - but Salah still got himself an assist for Mac Allister's strike to make it an incredible 42 goal involvements in 28 League games this season.
Slot was banished high up in the main stand as he started his two-game touchline suspension or his red card following the Merseyside derby but Liverpool are in such imperious form that they didn't need their manager in the technical area.
They dominated from the start and had appeals for a penalty turned down after only two minutes when Lewis Hall appeared to pull down Salah but referee Stuart Attwell inexplicably gave a free-kick against the Liverpool striker.
But there were only 11 minutes on the clock when they took the lead with their 100th goal of the season in all competitions.
It came from a typical counter-attack. Mac Allister started the move deep in his own half, Diogo Jota was involved too before Luis Diaz surged down the left before cutting the ball back for Szoboszlai to sweep home a shot through the legs of both Bruno Tonali and Dan Burn.
It was Szoboszlai's second in two games and his seventh of the season and he underlined his growing confidence by curling an effort just wide.
Liverpool's first half control was disrupted when Callum Wilson was put clean through twice.
He was just offside the first time after lifting Anthony Gordon's pass over the bar but should have done better on the second occasion when got away from Ibrahima Konate to race onto Dan Burn's pass but in his first League start of the season showed his ring rust by miscuing his shot well wide.
How the Geordies must have wished the injured leading scorer Alexander Isaak had been on the end of that one.
Newcastle would have been relatively happy however to be only one down at the break and they had more of the game in the second until Mac Alister fired home the second from Salah's pass in the 63rd minute to put Liverpool on the comfort zone.
No doubt feeling the effects of Sunday's draining win at Manchester City, Liverpool were not at their scintillating best but they have the experience to manage games so well.
They could have had more goals with Salah playing superb passes that Szoboszlai and Diaz just failed to connect with and the Egyptian was also denied late his customary goal late on by Nick Pope's save.
Now they will welcome the weekend off to prepare for another huge game - away to Paris St Germain in the Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday.
Alisson 7; Alexander-Arnold 7 (Quansah 77, 5), Konate 7, Van Dijk 7, Tsimikas 7; Szoboszlai 9, Gravenberch 7 (Endo 5, 77), Mac Allister 8 (Jones 87, 5); Salah 8, Jota 6 (Gakpo 62, 6), Diaz 7 (Nunez 87, 5).
Pope 7; Livramento 6 (Trippier 69, 5), Schar 6, Burn 6, Hall 6; Murphy 6, Tonali 5 (Miley 69, 5), Guimaraes 6 (Longstaff 87, 5), Willock 5 (Barnes 69,5); Gordon 6, Wilson 5 (Osula 69, 5).
Stuart Attwell 7.
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