Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool eventually broke down Newcastle United to open up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
In a relentless and frantic game, fuelled by wicked rain and wind on Merseyside, Liverpool took swing after swing at Newcastle but looked in danger of being held to a third consecutive Anfield draw after a goalless first half.
Salah missed the opening period’s best chance when he had a penalty saved but the forward, who will now join Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, tapped home a cross for the first and then converted a second spot-kick in the closing stages.
His first strike was his 150th Premier League goal for the Reds, but it was cancelled out five minutes later by Alexander Isak, who got in behind the hosts’ defence after good work by Anthony Gordon and curled home.
Liverpool pressed hard to go in front again and eventually Curtis Jones gave them the lead before a scuffed Cody Gapko effort from a brilliant Salah pass gave them breathing space.
But back came Newcastle when Sven Botman headed home a corner to make it 3-2 before Salah sent Martin Dubravka – who was heroic throughout – the wrong way to secure the points.
Liverpool won their opening seven Premier League games at Anfield this season but had been held to draws by Manchester United and Arsenal in their previous two home games.
They lead Aston Villa by three points and have a five-point advantage over Manchester City, who have a game in hand, and Arsenal.
Newcastle, who were missing nine first-team players, remain ninth.
Slick Liverpool find a way in chaotic match
From the first whistle the match was dominated by Liverpool, who registered a league-high 18 shots in the first half.
Trent Alexander-Arnold saw an effort deflected wide and hit the post with a wicked volley from an incredibly tight angle, while Darwin Nunez’s flicked effort was kept out by Dubravka.
Diaz had a goal disallowed because Nunez strayed marginally offside in the build-up, before Salah’s first penalty – powered to Dubravka’s left but too central – was saved.
It meant Salah had failed to score four of his past 10 penalties in all competitions but he put it behind him and was brilliant in the second half.
Diaz and Nunez combined to leave the Egypt forward unmarked in the middle to tap home the opener and relieve the growing tension inside Anfield.
The equaliser was a setback – especially after Nunez was twice denied with good chances to make it 2-0 – but Liverpool’s quality and intricate forward play eventually found a way through Newcastle.
Jones tapped home after a fine Salah pass found Diogo Jota, before the Egyptian brilliantly crossed with the outside of his foot for Gakpo to dribble his effort over the line with the bottom of his studs.
Salah’s second came when Jota was tripped by Dubravka and he showed the strength of his mentality to send the goalkeeper the wrong way and sign off for what could be potentially six weeks with his country.
The victory means Liverpool are unbeaten in 22 games at Anfield, and have now only lost one of their past 52 home games in the Premier League.
