Naby Keita keeps Liverpool on Man City’s coattails after narrow win at in-form Newcastle

Arguably, it has not even been Liverpool’s best week of the last fortnight, let alone the year, but by most other clubs’ standards, it would amount to a special spell on and off the pitch. A Merseyside derby victory has been followed by good news on a daily basis: a win on Wednesday gave them one foot in a Champions League final.

Thursday brought Jurgen Klopp’s new four-year contract, Friday Mohamed Salah’s Footballer of the Year award. On Saturday, they went to the club with the second-most points in 2022 – after Liverpool themselves – and claimed three with a dominant display.

A 13th triumph in 14 league games allowed them to leapfrog Manchester City, albeit because they kicked off before their title rivals, while turning their thoughts to the rematch with Villarreal.

Klopp rested Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho and Salah at the start, giving the two midfielders and the winger a runout in the last quarter, and ended Newcastle’s run of six straight victories at St James’ Park. They are in unlikely company, with Cambridge the only other visiting team to win on Tyneside in the calendar year.

Proof of strength in depth was supplied in part by Naby Keita, who began on the bench against Villarreal on Wednesday and may return to the rank of the replacements in Spain. His fourth goal of the season equalled his best tally for Liverpool. More importantly, however, he has produced his finest form in England and this has the potential to prove a hugely significant contribution.

Keita brought the dynamism to a reconfigured midfield, the junior partner in a trio with Jordan Henderson and James Milner. He had already shot narrowly wide before he delivered a goal that irritated the majority at St James’ Park.

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