Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a spectacular goal as the Reds beat Newcastle United 3-1 in the Premier League on Thursday, overcoming the loss of three players to suspected positive COVID-19 tests.
Liverpool now has 40 points from 17 games, one less than leaders Manchester City, who defeated Leeds United 7-0 on Tuesday.
With Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho, and Curtis Jones all ruled out for the hosts, Newcastle’s Jonjo Shelvey scored against the run of play in the seventh minute, with a swerving, dipping drive past an unsighted Allison Becker at Anfield.
The lead lasted 14 minutes before Diogo Jota leveled after Martin Dubravka saved his initial header, with Newcastle players claiming the ball should have been put out of play because Isaac Hayden was down injured in his own box.
By blasting home the rebound from a Sadio Mane shot, Mohamed Salah equaled Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy’s record of 15 consecutive Premier League games with a goal or assist.
Newcastle improved dramatically in the second half, displaying a defensive resolve that had been lacking for much of the season, but Liverpool began to turn the screw in the final 10 minutes.
In the 81st minute, Dubravka had to get down quickly to save from Mane, and Jota had a close-range shot blocked before the Newcastle keeper made another outstanding save from Naby Keita.
Three minutes from the end of normal time, however, Alexander-Arnold took a touch on the edge of the box before firing a rocket into the top corner.
“I’ve been waiting for it for five years, to hit it clean like that,” Alexander-Arnold told reporters.
“I’ve had a few from the box’s rim… “I caught that one sweet, and it was just nestled in the top corner.”
The England fullback said he and his teammates had done their best to ignore the possibility of positive COVID tests at the club as the games intensified over the holidays.
“We’re focused on football until we’re told otherwise.” “We’ll be in there every day, recover again tomorrow, and make sure we’re ready for Sunday,” he said.
“We’ve got a big game coming up against Tottenham – it’ll be an interesting one, but all we can do is focus on that and prepare for the game.”