Liverpool staged a late comeback at Newcastle to keep their title hopes alive.

Virgil van Dijk kick-started a breathless 15 minutes of goals in the first half at St James’ Park when he rose to head home Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner.

The hosts struck back through a drilled Christian Atsu effort after Alexander-Arnold had initially denied Salomon Rondon with a goal-line clearance.

But the Magpies were not level-pegging for long as Mohamed Salah turned home another Alexander-Arnold delivery with a low-driven shot past Martin Dubravka.

Rondon struck back for Rafael Benitez’s side after the break before substitute Divock Origi rose highest in the 86th minute to snatch victory for the Reds.

Here were the key talking points from St James’ Park:

No let-up as Reds fight to the finish

 

Manchester City aren’t the only team that continues to ‘fight to the end’.

Every step of the way in this Premier League title race, Liverpool have pushed them and taken the battle right down to next weekend’s proverbial final wire.

Negotiating a final and difficult away day of the season at St James’ Park puts them in a good position to pounce if the reigning champions somehow falter.

Barring a rare lapse into mortality, City are set to condemn the Reds to the most emphatic runners-up in the league’s history with 94 points already garnered.

In all bar one of the past 26 years, that would be enough to clinch the title – and it still might. Liverpool have ensured that they will see it through to the finish.

…but Barca problems mounting up

 

The coming week could be the best and worst of times for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

In the Champions League, it threatens to be the latter with Roberto Firmino’s involvement against Barcelona ruled out while Mohamed Salah is also doubtful.

Liverpool’s leading scorer was stretchered off midway through the second half with a head injury following a collision with Newcastle stopper Martin Dubravka.

Hopes of Salah returning in time for Tuesday’s semi-final showdown with the Catalans appear ominous – it’s hardly ideal preparations to overturn a 3-0 deficit.

Achieving the improbable is fresh in the mind of the Anfield faithful. Their team currently need to move mountains and perform miracles to even stand a chance.

Origi joins the Fairclough club

 

Even if Liverpool fail to win the title, cult hero status beckons for Divock Origi.

It is often overlooked that the Belgium international is not quite the parody-like figure he has often been made out to be since a season-ending injury in 2016.

Vital goals are never far away when Origi is involved, evidenced by several late winners, and his penchant of scoring from the bench carries an added exclusivity.

He is now level with Steven Gerrard for the most goals as a Liverpool substitute, with only Ryan Babel, Daniel Sturridge and David Fairclough scoring more.

The ‘Super Sub’ club has just gained another prominent member.

Sturridge deserves everything he gets

 

Sturridge may find himself in illustrious company for his goals from reserve but there is currently no distinction in the ailing finish to the striker’s Anfield career.

Klopp visibly castigated the former England frontman twice in the space of less than a minute at the end of the first half for simply failing to vie for the ball.

An appalling lack of application underlines why Sturridge is unlikely to be offered an extended stay with Liverpool when his current deal expires this summer.

On this evidence, few would blame Klopp for refusing to think twice about that.