Liverpool maintained their grip on the Premier League’s top spot with a 3-1 win over Newcastle.

Jetro Willems gave the hosts an early shock when he broke the deadlock courtesy of a powerful close-range effort after he had cut inside Trent Alexander-Arnold.

But the Reds were level just 20 minutes later when Mane rifled past Martin Dubravka inside the Magpies’ penalty area to ultimately turn the tide of the game.

The Senegal international put the hosts ahead with a slotted effort after Roberto Firmino had recovered possession and released him with a through ball.

Mohamed Salah put the game beyond doubt with a run and finish from another Firmino assist, this time with the Brazilian producing a clever back-heel.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

‘Give the ball to Bobby…’

 

Rarely has the Kop’s litany of chants needed updating but some hasty revision will be required if Roberto Firmino continues in this rich vein of form.

‘Give the ball to Bobby and he will score’ no longer does the Brazilian’s contributions justice. He also provides an impressive amount of assists.

Without Firmino, Liverpool have a fractionally less win ratio than when he is on the pitch. In a game of fine margins, however, that absence becomes noticeable.

Injury to Divock Origi forced Jurgen Klopp’s hand in the first half. Within minutes of his introduction, Firmino had already laid on an assist for Sadio Mane.

A second followed after the interval as he teed up Mohamed Salah with a defence-splitting backheel which was as exquisite as it had appeared effortless.

No one can argue that Firmino has been underrated or even underappreciated at Anfield. The rest of the Premier League, it seems, is finally catching on.

Early Magpies can’t scare Reds

 

You have to get up pretty early to try and catch Liverpool out.

For 20 minutes of this high-noon encounter, Newcastle thought they had.

A first win at Anfield in over a quarter of a century may have eluded them but Jetro Willems’ early strike carried its own mark of distinction against the hosts.

The time between the Magpies’ opener and Sadio Mane’s equaliser was the longest the European champions have trailed at home in the past two seasons.

Holding a lead against Jurgen Klopp’s side is no mean feat – they fell behind for a combined 28 minutes in games at Anfield throughout the previous campaign.

But there was never any danger of Liverpool resting on their laurels with an unbeaten domestic record which remains intact after two-and-a-half years.

Ox might yet stake a claim

 

More than mere symbolism underpinned Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 50th appearance in a Liverpool shirt. It also came with a real signal of intent.

Oxlade-Chamberlain spent most of the past 12 months as Anfield’s hard-luck story; a player impressive debut season was cut short by a lengthy injury spell.

But the England international has returned more determined than ever to stake a claim and offered signs of an argument for a regular place against the Magpies.

Klopp’s reluctance to overload Jordan Henderson after a gruelling international break allowed his teammate for club and country to seize the initiative.

In a sluggish start from the hosts, Oxlade-Chamberlain stood out above all others; pulling the strings in midfield and fashioning several chances.

Even with imperfections, there are signs that the 26-year-old could soon find himself into the Liverpool manager’s plans for more than making up numbers.

VAR farce comes to town

 

Love or loathe it, VAR is here to stay in the Premier League.

The technology, however, is in need of some serious fine-tuning as numerous contentious decisions during the opening weeks of the new season have proved.

At a third time of asking, Anfield play host to the latest controversy.

Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty when Jamaal Lascelles’ grappled Joel Matip at a corner midway through the first half. Andre Marriner thought otherwise.

Klopp’s post-match bewilderment at the fourth official’s insistence that the incident had already been reviewed immediately after was understandable.

Everyone is as perplexed about VAR’s supposed merits as the German himself.