- Salah scores 32nd of season
- Mane notches 14th
- Reds reclaim second
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah led Liverpool to an easy-enough win in the Premier League.
This time it was a 2-0 win over Newcastle United at Anfield, sending the Reds second before Manchester United plays Crystal Palace on Monday.
Liverpool and Manchester United meet up on March 10 at Old Trafford.
Newcastle remains in the thick of the relegation race, and will play a huge six-pointer versus Southampton on March 10.
[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]
Liverpool started with heavy possession as expected, and Sadio Mane was on the doorstep to a goal within five minutes.
Mohamed Salah hammered a volley off Paul Dummett in the 12th minute as the Reds continued to knock at the door.
Salah then attempted a wild shot from an acute angle that nearly beat Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka to the near post, but the backstop tipped it wide of the goal.
A horrific giveaway by DeAndre Yedlin looked to have set Liverpool up for its opener, but Florian Lejeune closed down Salah before the Egyptian could score yet another goal.
The Magpies had a moment or two around the half hour mark, including a lashing over the goal by Dwight Gayle, who’s had a moment or two himself versus Liverpool.
Salah got his goal in the 40th minute off an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain-led break, taking his feed and potting behind Martin Dubravka.
Loris Karius made an outstanding save on Mohamed Diame at the start of stoppage time.
[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]
26 - Big 5 Euro League players to score in the most competitive club matches this season:
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 3, 2018
Mohamed Salah - 26 games
Edinson Cavani - 24 games
Robert Lewandowski - 23 games
Sergio Agüero/Harry Kane - 21 games
Lionel Messi - 20 games
Superstars. pic.twitter.com/v2aTRvThYO
[ MORE: Full lineups, stats, box score ]
Oxlade-Chamberlain remained a danger, and a 53rd minute break forced another timely intervention from Newcastle to thwart Roberto Firmino.
Mane soon put the Reds ahead by two, with a 56th minute goal, Firmino cueing up the Senegalese sensation for another Liverpool marker.
Aside from a Joselu penalty shout, there wasn’t much to cheer about the final 20 minutes for either side.