Liverpool player ratings vs Newcastle: Reds make massive title statement as Mohamed Salah nets a brace to cancel out Darwn Nunez's woeful finishing

Liverpool dominated the vast majority of the game, but were left frustrated in the final third, as VAR disallowed a well-taken opener from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah saw his spot-kick saved just minutes later.

The Reds were almost made to pay for their missed chances in the first 45-minutes, after Dan Burn headed his effort past Alisson Becker in the Liverpool goal, only to see it ruled out due to an offside in the build-up.

However, in his final game before he departs to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Egypt, Salah made up for his earlier error and tapped home the opener just four minutes into the second-half. A lead which was short-lived, as Alexander Isak burst through to equalize for Eddie Howe's side just five minutes later.

As several minutes ticked by and a flurry of changes unfolded from Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool would go on to re-take the lead in a well-worked move ending in a Curtis Jones goal, before Cody Gakpo added a third. Sven Botman thought he had got his side back into the game, until Salah was given his second opportunity from the spot and made no mistake this time.

GOAL rates Liverpool players from Anfield...