FeatureFive of the best: Premier League wins for Liverpool at Newcastle

The Reds return to St. James’ Park this evening for their second fixture of the new top-flight campaign and their title defence.

Ahead of the action in the north east (8pm BST kick-off), read on as we look back at some of the club’s finest recent displays at the home of the Magpies…

Newcastle 1-4 Liverpool – August 30, 1998

Joint-managers Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier were hoping to build early-season momentum – and Michael Owen was on hand to provide the spark.

The 18-year-old starlet, fresh from announcing himself on the international stage at that summer’s World Cup in France, pounced on a rebounded shot to open the scoring.

Within 60 seconds, he helped himself to another, slotting a finish beneath Shay Given to send the away support into jubilation.

Newcastle were gifted a lifeline when Phil Babb was dispossessed under pressure in his own half and Stephane Guivarc’h hauled one back.

But Liverpool’s teenage phenom was waiting in the wings. Owen clinched his hat-trick in just the 32nd minute by gliding beyond two defenders and poking the ball over the goalkeeper.

And on the cusp of half-time, Patrik Berger picked up the ball just inside the opposition half, rode two challenges and fired into the bottom right corner to wrap up a handsome win.

Newcastle 1-5 Liverpool – December 28, 2008

Liverpool took a festive trip to the north east aiming to stay top of the Premier League tree.

Rafael Benitez’s charges knocked heavily on Newcastle’s door for half an hour; however, Given repelled chance after chance.

And then the breakthrough came. Yossi Benayoun cut a pass back towards the penalty spot, where Steven Gerrard was poised to leather the ball into the right-hand corner.

Gerrard turned provider five minutes later, assisting Sami Hyypia with an out-swinging corner. The Finland international’s powerful header flew beyond Given.

Defender David Edgar rose highest moments before the break to give Newcastle an injection of hope, towering over a plethora of red shirts in the penalty area to place his headed effort into the back of the net.

But after half-time, the Reds applied the pressure, and when a scuffle to clear the ball ensued in the home penalty area, Ryan Babel found the time and composure to net a third.

Gerrard’s stellar performance continued when Lucas Leiva’s pass released him beyond the Magpies’ back line. He bore down on goal before dinking the ’keeper for 4-1.

And when substitute David Ngog was felled in the Magpies’ box by Edgar, up stepped Xabi Alonso to power the penalty to Given’s right and add gloss to a memorable showing.

Newcastle 0-6 Liverpool – April 27, 2013

Brendan Rodgers’ Reds entered this game with relatively little on the line, situated seventh in the table as the season petered out.

But they flew from the blocks on Tyneside as Daniel Agger scored in the third minute, a looping header from Stewart Downing’s cross after a catalogue of failed clearances by the hosts.

Jordan Henderson extended the lead when Philippe Coutinho’s perfectly weighted through ball found Daniel Sturridge, who passed around Rob Elliot into the scorer’s path.

Sturridge got his own name on the scoresheet in the second half after more Coutinho wizardry, and a fourth goal – again from the January signing – duly followed. But Liverpool weren’t finished.

Fabio Borini netted within two minutes of coming on as a substitute, stabbing home with the outside of his boot, and the sixth and final goal of the day was a second for Henderson, who converted a free-kick from the left-hand side of the box.

In hindsight, the result offered a sign of things to come. In the next season the Reds would go within a whisker of Premier League glory, playing the kind of free-flowing football that floored Newcastle here.

Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool – May 4, 2019

Liverpool’s titanic battle at the top of the Premier League table with the relentless Manchester City was reaching its climax, with this the penultimate fixture of the season.

The Reds opened the scoring when Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk combined; a beautifully placed corner was met by the centre-half’s head and the ball flew beyond Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle net.

The Magpies, however, soon equalised the score through Christian Atsu after the visitors’ repeated attempts to clear failed and the Ghanaian smashed the loose ball home.

Jürgen Klopp’s men regained the advantage moments later through Mohamed Salah, who cushioned home with his right foot. But the topsy-turvy nature continued as Salomon Rondon squared the game up a second time with a ferocious half-volley.

It meant Liverpool needed to muster a winner; anything other than a victory would likely hand the championship to City.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

As he was on so many memorable occasions for the Reds, Divock Origi was in the right place after being introduced from the bench. The Belgian met a free-kick from Xherdan Shaqiri with a mix of head and shoulder, putting his side back in front and sending the title race to the wire.

Newcastle 1-2 Liverpool – August 27, 2023

Another early-season meeting between the sides produced another modern-day classic for Liverpool fans to treasure.

Eddie Howe’s Magpies had edged out the Reds to a Champions League place in the season prior and were looking to lay down a marker again on Premier League matchday three.

The contest started ideally for the Geordies, too – thanks to a Scouser. Former Everton star Anthony Gordon robbed possession from Alexander-Arnold, sped towards goal and opened the scoring in the first half.

Things became even more promising for the hosts when Liverpool captain Van Dijk was shown a red card just three minutes later.

But Klopp’s side dug deep. They required heroics from Alisson Becker to keep the deficit at a single goal, before the transformative introduction of Darwin Nunez in the 77th minute.

The Uruguayan’s impact was swift, levelling the tie after latching on to Harvey Elliott’s pass and dispatching a sublime finish into the bottom left corner, giving Nick Pope no chance.

Brimming with confidence, Nunez was not done.

When Salah found him with a laser-sharp pass in the 93rd minute, the No.9 finessed the ball across the goalkeeper to complete the most unlikely of comebacks and start very memorable celebrations.