'Salah looks destined for 40 goals' - the media on LFC 2-0 Newcastle

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane ensured the Reds kept up their excellent home form.

Here is what the media made of their latest victory...

James Pearce, Liverpool Echo

The Reds were far from their fluent best on a bitterly cold night against Newcastle, but there was something satisfying about the sight of them winning without getting out of second gear. There was no hint of panic as they battled for 40 minutes to find a way through the black and white wall in front of them. They stuck to the task and got their reward when Mohamed Salah tucked away Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's pass. His 32nd goal of a remarkable season puts him level with Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot. Salah is now just one behind Fernando Torres' best ever haul for Liverpool and four adrift of Robbie Fowler. The record books are being re-written on a weekly basis as Kopites are treated to the sight of a genius operating at the peak of his powers. Barring injury, Salah looks destined to become the first Reds player since Ian Rush in 1986-87 to reach the 40-goal mark.

Glenn Price, ESPN

Mohamed Salah goals and Liverpool victories have been the tale over recent months and see Jurgen Klopp's side bidding for the Premier League's runners-up spot, as well as putting together a run in the knockout stages of the Champions League. Liverpool climbed back into second place after a hard-fought, 2-0 win over their former manager, Rafael Benitez and Newcastle. The Reds started the game fourth and may have feared they would stay there, having been frustrated for 40 minutes until Salah's opening goal, his 32nd of the season in all competitions. Sadio Mane scored the other goal - Liverpool's 200th in the league under Klopp - to wrap up three points; Liverpool now hope Crystal Palace can do them a favour when they play Manchester United on Monday. Benitez's name was routinely chanted by both sets of fans around Anfield and he is still adored on Merseyside. But that hasn't stopped the Spaniard from proving a difficult opponent for Liverpool in recent history; Saturday's victory was their first in six attempts against a Benitez-led team. Liverpool eased their way through the rest of the game with important tasks ahead, such as a trip to Old Trafford next Saturday. It was not a vintage display against Newcastle and one that will largely be forgotten by the season's end, but the result is just as meaningful as any other victory this term.

Simon Hughes, Independent

This was an important victory for Liverpool because it means they are ahead of Chelsea by seven points and Chelsea go to Manchester City tomorrow [Sunday], a ground no visiting team has won at in the league since December 2016, though that visiting team was, indeed, Chelsea. Arguably the first half's most crucial moment would follow – and it was a huge moment, perhaps, in Loris Karius's Liverpool career. Since Christmas – knowing he is now Klopp's No 1 until the end of the season at least, his performances have improved. Mohamed Diamé's shot had taken a ricochet and so, it was more difficult to judge. But judge it Karius did, using the finger tips on his right hand to maintain Liverpool's advantage. That advantage would extend early in the second half when Sadio Mané was freed by Roberto Firmino and it became 2-0.

Paul Wilson, The Guardian

Liverpool were not at their sparking best on a bitterly cold and slightly foggy evening on Merseyside, though partly thanks to Mohamed Salah keeping up his scoring run they were too lively for Newcastle and are now up to second in the table. Their supporters probably do not expect them to stay there for very long but the significance of this result, apart from bringing up 200 Premier League goals under Jürgen Klopp, is that should Chelsea lose to Manchester City on Sunday there will be a seven-point cushion between Liverpool and the dreaded fifth place. Unless Chelsea win, in fact, the fight for top-four places could be as good as over. Early interest was provided by the question of how quickly Salah could get onto the scoresheet. The Egypt international had scored in each of his last six Liverpool games before Saturday, and one more here took him to 32 in all competitions this season, exactly the same as the entire Newcastle team have managed thus far.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.