Liverpool kicked off 2024 in style on monday evening by defeating newcastle united 4-2 in what was a dominant display from start to finish. On the night, the reds could have boosted their goal tally, but it was the main aim of winning all three points at anfield that mattered most. Liverpool fans now head to the emirates on sunday for a third-round match against arsenal, after a strong showing at the magpies’ expense. four liverpool supporters have shared their thoughts about the newcastle victory and the magpies’ trip to the capital this weekend as part of a weekly echo fan poll.
Much as i am still ecstatic about new year’s eve festivities, i felt like i was on top of the world leaving anfield after the dramatic newcastle result on monday evening. What a great way to kick-start the second half of the season. For me, the game had almost everything, but it was decided by the kind of fighting spirit that has characterized liverpool’s season so far. The premier league fixtures this month must take precedence over both the cup competitions, particularly the difficult away match against an in-form bournemouth, which we lost by three points last season. But even with the departures of wataru endo and mohamed salah, i do think we have the squad depth to go strong against arsenal in the fa cup third round on sunday and then rotate for the carabao cup semi-final first leg against fulham the following week. Though luis diaz and darwin nunez have been sharp and at the forefront of their game, i’d like to see them win a few goals to lift league confidence. Up the mighty reds, it’s going to be a big month!
Although we were at the top of the table before the newcastle game, i was still dissatisfied with our results, which is perhaps unfair. To some, that may seem trivial, but i didn’t get the sense that we were back to our best when we were churning out victories, which is all that matters in one sense. The press was ferocious and free-flowing against newcastle, and we created opportunity after opportunity. The two questionable liverpool penalties (which, in my opinion, were both penalties) shouldn’t belie what was an incredible and impressive display. Darwin nunez has left a mark on the map. His missed opportunities tend to distract from his overall good play. Though he goes from the sublime to the absurd at times, he continues to influence games, even though he is profligate in front of goal. Nunez played a vital role in the game, as klopp noted after the newcastle game, by providing salah with an assist. It doesn’t matter if nunez is scoring every game, in my opinion, unless he continues to influence games that don’t happen.
