Liverpool responded to an early scare to down Newcastle United.
Jonjo Shelvey had stunned his old club after an under-cooked pass from Thiago Alcantara allowed the midfielder to rifle a 25-yard shot past Alisson.
The Reds redressed the balance when Diogo Jota pounced from close-range after Martin Dubravka had parried his initial header from a Sadio Mane cross.
Mane proved influential as Mohamed Salah gave his side the lead after the ball broke for him in the area from Fabian Schar’s tackle on the Senegalese.
Trent Alexander-Arnold capped off a comfortable victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side just three minutes from time by scoring a stunning long-range effort.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Covid cases disrupt Reds’ rhythm
Despite their comfortable victory, this was hardly a vintage Liverpool display.
Somewhat understandably, Jurgen Klopp’s side appeared in a state of flux after three first-team players tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the game.
Without Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho, two of those laid low, the verve and comfortable dominance that the Reds exude on games was sorely lacking.
The knock-on effect to their teammates became increasingly evident against a Newcastle team who did not mirror their precarious Premier League status.
Thiago Alcantara’s hurried passing allowed the visitors to make inroads on Alisson’s goal and even breach it with Jonjo Shelvey’s early thunderbolt.
Their final balls were also lacking in a week where nine top-flight fixtures have been postponed due to coronavirus cases within multiple club squads.
Klopp has continually spoken about the importance of rhythm for his players, so it is little wonder that a disturbance to that altered Liverpool’s swagger.
…but it’s still raining records
The Liverpool manager can at least take comfort in the fact his team are still maintaining high standards when in both breaking and setting new records.
No English club side had amassed over 2,000 wins at its highest level before, nor an Anfield record which had stood for over half a century been matched.
But Diogo Jota’s first-half equaliser marked the 32nd successive game in all competitions where the Premier League title challengers have scored.
Such is magnitude of that milestone that it was last achieved before the arrival of Bill Shankly, taking place between April 1957 and January 1958.
Mohamed Salah, too, etched his name further into folklore by emulating Jamie Vardy’s feat of scoring or assising in 15 consecutive league games.
Next Wednesday’s meeting between the pair, in the Carabao Cup quarter final, is clouded in uncertainty due to Leicester City’s own Covid issues.
Should this prove Anfield’s final pre-Christmas outing, it was a perfect sign-off.
Another TAA scrapbook moment
There are some goals where saying ‘I was there’ carries added significance.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will have seen plenty of those scrapbook moments growing up as a boyhood Liverpool fans and future academy graduate.
The England international has since etched his name into immortality with a quick-thinking assist in the 2019 Champions League semi-final comeback.
Granted, the stakes were not as high this time around but Alexander-Arnold’s late piledriver still ranks among the goals that need to seen to be believed.
🚀 What a strike this was from Trent! pic.twitter.com/nXYZrI67dm#LFC #LIVNEW
— Liverpool FC news (@ClickLFC) December 16, 2021
His thunderous effort, three minutes from time, was Steven Gerrard-esque in its execution and trajectory as Martin Dubravka was left grasping at thin air.
It also helped settle any late nerves as Liverpool attempted to build on their narrow first-half lead against the Magpies after the interval but to little avail.
From all documentable angles, it really was a perfect strike.