NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, England – NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, England – Liverpool's history continues to beckon, and no one will be able to blame Jurgen Klopp's players if they fall short of an unprecedented Quadruple. Liverpool's undefeated Premier League record in 2022 was extended thanks to Naby Keita's first-half goal against Newcastle United at St James' Park, but it may not be enough to beat Manchester City to the championship.
The title race is set to go down to the last day of the season on May 22, with the two top teams in England, and maybe Europe. There's also a good chance they'll play again six days later in the Champions League final in Paris; both teams have 2-0 aggregate leads over Villarreal and Real Madrid going into this week's semifinal second legs (City lead 4-3).
While Liverpool's fate in the Champions League and FA Cup finals, where they meet Chelsea at Wembley on May 14, is in their own hands, they can only hope that their best is good enough in the Premier League. Klopp's squad will need City to make a mistake somewhere in order to win their second championship in three seasons. Liverpool had a two-point lead over City as they left Newcastle for Anfield, but with Pep Guardiola's side facing Leeds United at Elland Road in Saturday's late game, they knew they might be back in second by the time they returned to Merseyside.
Liverpool, on the other hand, is refusing to make City's work any easier. After playing Villarreal at Anfield on Wednesday night, facing Newcastle less than 72 hours later seemed like a step too far. Newcastle has improved since the turn of the year under Eddie Howe, and only Liverpool has a better Premier League record since January 1. If Liverpool were to surrender points anytime between now and the end of the season, this seemed to be the most dangerous match, with a mix of Champions League weariness and a strong home team conspiring against Klopp and his men.
In an effort to freshen up his team ahead of Tuesday's second leg at Villarreal, Klopp started the game with Mohamed Salah, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the substitutes' bench, so that was another sign of Liverpool falling short, but this was a day when their squad depth was borne out. After the game, Klopp stated of his team, "That's the only reason we're where we are." "They're a group of guys with a lot of skill."
To replace the voids, Keita, James Milner, Joe Gomez, and Diogo Jota were all chosen, and each of them contributed significantly to the triumph. Milner initiated the play for the goal by riding a Fabian Schaar challenge to shift the ball to Jota, whose pass set up Keita to score. And Gomez, who was making his first start of the season, made a number of key interceptions on the right-wing as Newcastle looked to break forward.
Milner's impact was possibly the most noticeable, despite the veteran's demeanor. The 36-year-old former Newcastle midfielder is only used sporadically by Klopp, and this was his first Premier League start since a 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Jan. 2, but he dominated the game in the middle of the pitch, and his experience was crucial on a day when Liverpool needed to simply get the job done.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp still has his side fighting on three fronts having already won one trophy this season.
Klopp stated, "Milner was terrific." "He's critical to our success." He's a huge assistant in the dressing room, especially for a manager whose first language isn't English, but he's also crucial on the pitch, and he had a fantastic game today.
"How old is he?" It could also be worth looking at [Real Madrid midfielder] Luka Modric. I believe he is 36 years old, so what a generation of athletes. Milly, on the other hand, is a role model who has set standards that have educated all of us."
Milner's replacement by Thiago on 78 minutes was greeted with applause from both sides of St James' Park, demonstrating the respect he commands in the game. Milner retired from Newcastle in 2008, but his professionalism and contributions in a black-and-white shirt are appreciated to this day.
It'll be interesting to see if Milner starts another game this season, but he'll almost certainly be in every team between now and the Champions League final at the Stade de France. As Klopp stated, it is because of periphery players like Milner that he is able to rest stars like Salah and Thiago while still ensuring critical victories.
Liverpool, on the other hand, is in the midst of a crucial period. Any failure to win in any tournament will be devastating to their chances of winning the Quadruple, thus every participant must show up when called. So far, Klopp has been able to rely on each and every one of them, but he can't control everything, and Liverpool's unbeaten Premier League record this calendar year may not be enough to win the championship. It won't be for a lack of effort, quality, or perseverance if they can't beat City in the Premier League.
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