Liverpool stun Newcastle with a first-half blitz to complete the double over Eddie Howe's side, winning 2-0 on Tyneside to move within six points of fourth... as the 10-man hosts have a night to forget.

 

Newcastle loses 0-2 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp's forwards are on fire as Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo send the resurgent Reds six points adrift of the top four after beating 10-man Magpies... with Nick Pope suspended for the Carabao Cup final after a calamitous red card.

Darwin Nunez opened the scoring with a powerful finish past Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Following a fine assist from fellow forward Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo doubled Liverpool's lead moments later.

Newcastle's Nick Pope was sent off for a foul outside the area and will now miss the Carabao Cup final.

Not since the tradition of stag-dos the night before a wedding have wedding preparations gone so spectacularly wrong.

Never mind that Newcastle have now lost at home for the first time this season, that Liverpool have closed the gap to six points with a game in hand, and that their defending has been as erratic as said groom after his bachelor party binge.

The loss of goalkeeper Nick Pope for next Sunday's EFL Cup final against Manchester United, on the other hand, will be felt the most keenly. He'll be somewhere else, most likely tied to a lamppost wearing red L plates. For it was the most rookie of errors that cost him a place at Wembley, a straight red card for misjudging a throughball and deliberately handling outside of his penalty area. It's unfair to Pope, who has been outstanding this season.

But don't worry. As back-ups, Newcastle has Martin Dubrvaka, who came on here and did not concede, and Karl Darlow. Except Dubravka is unable to drink. Ironically, he only receives a winner's medal if Manchester United, the club he represented on loan earlier this season, wins. Darlow, on the other hand, is on loan at Hull.

Loris Karius, please take a step forward - or, more likely, shuffle sheepishly from the shadows. If he starts the final, as expected, it will be nearly two years since his last competitive appearance for Union Berlin. Oh, and his most recent appearance for an English club? That would be the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool. He was responsible for two Real Madrid goals in a 3-1 defeat in Kyiv. Jurgen Klopp never used him again.

With a victory at St. James' Park, Liverpool's attackers were on fire, bringing their team within six points of the top four.

Darwin Nunez scored just 10 minutes in with an emphatic finish past a helpless Nick Pope in the Newcastle goal.

Cody Gakpo scored his second goal in two games for Liverpool, thanks to a magnificent assist from strike partner Mohamed Salah.

But, if the German had lost faith in Karius, he is gradually regaining it in his current charges. They were devastating for 12 minutes in the first half, scoring two goals and forcing Pope's dismissal.

It should be noted that Newcastle started like a house on fire, only to end up with their fingers completely burned off. Allan Saint-Maximin had done more in 10 minutes than the previous two matches combined in his final audition before the cup final.

MATCH FACTS STATS AND PLAYER RATINGS 

Newcastle XI (4-3-3): Pope 3; Trippier 4.5 (Murphy 64, 5.5), Schar 4.5, Botman 6, Burn 6; Longstaff 5.5, Joelinton 5.5 (Ritchie 71), Anderson 5 (Dubravka 24, 7); Almiron 5.5 (Gordon 64, 6), Isak 6 (Wilson 64, 5), Saint-Maximin 7

Subs: Dummett, Lascelles, Lewis, Manquillo

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson 7; Alexander-Arnold 7, Gomez 7, Van Dijk 7, Robertson 7; Henderson 7 (Elliott 60, 6), Fabinho 7, Bajcetic 7.5 (Milner 60, 6); Salah 7.5, Gakpo 7 (Jota 60, 6), Nunez 8 (Firmino 60, 5.5)

Subs: Kelleher, Keita, Tsimikas, Matip, Phillips

Ref: Anthony Taylor 7

Att: tbc.

MOM: Nunez

Indeed, Miguel Almiron should have scored on four minutes after Saint-Maximin set him up. The Paraguayan, on the other hand, did not appear to be the player who has already scored in double figures this season. His finish was soft and his touch was heavy, allowing Alisson to smother.

However, it appeared to be the type of big game Newcastle required to focus minds ahead of the cup final. They then turned off, which was unusual for them.

When Trent Alexander-Arnold dropped a ball over the top on 12 minutes, you could have driven the open-top bus Newcastle has on standby through the middle of their defense.

Kieran Trippier and Fabian Schar exchanged worried glances before shifting their gaze to Darwin Nunez. Or, at the very least, the phone number on his back. Nunez was clear and buried low beyond Pope after two touches to steady himself.

The Uruguayan was a threat during his hour on the field and was only taken off with Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday in mind.

The nature of Liverpool's second goal, which came on 17 minutes, will also boost confidence ahead of that match. Fabinho found Mo Salah, who produced a sand-wedge to lift over Newcastle's sluggish backline for Cody Gakpo to convert from close range.

Even before Pope's gaffe, Eddie Howe's side had not scored twice in the league since Boxing Day, so this felt like game over.

That came in the 22nd minute, when Alisson did his fellow keeper no favors with a low half-volley downfield, raising all sorts of questions as it skidded behind the defense, which had once again been caught napping. Pope lacked the answers and, as he stooped to clear his head, he lost his head and handled.

As Salah closed in on him, Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was shown a straight red card for handling the ball outside of his area.

Newcastle's No. 1 goalkeeper will now be suspended for next week's Carabao Cup final against Manchester United.

Martin Dubravka, who took over for Pope, was called into action on several occasions. He is cup-tied and will be unable to play in the Carabao Cup final.

Newcastle's stopper Miguel Almiron was denied by Liverpool's Alisson in the opening minutes, but the Magpies failed to score.

Newcastle substitute Callum Wilson had a chance to equalize but was denied by Alisson, who made a smart save.

Diogo Jota had a late chance to score a third goal for Liverpool but blew it by heading wide of Dubravka.

Both groups of fans paid their respects to former Newcastle player Christian Atsu, who died in the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Despite the red card and VAR checks on both of Liverpool's goals, referee Anthony Taylor was not booed off at halftime. He and his team had made every call correctly.

One complaint, and it's probably not Taylor's fault. However, before the referee could blow his whistle, applause drowned out the planned minute's silence for former Newcastle winger Christian Atsu. A moment of silence is always more powerful, especially for someone so young. Atsu was only 31 years old when he died in this week's earthquakes in Turkey.

This game also served as a commemoration of Sir Bobby Robson's 90th birthday. The last time Newcastle played at Wembley was in a 2-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat in 2000.

Until recently, everything pointed to Newcastle under Howe finally putting an end to a more than half-century wait for a trophy.

However, nights like this are dangerous. Perhaps they are fated to be bridesmaids once more.