Liverpool climbed up to second in the Premier League table courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at Anfield this evening.
The visitors managed to frustrate an under-par Liverpool side for much of the first half, until Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock with his 32nd goal of the season five minutes before half time.
Sadio Mane then added a second 11 minutes after the interval, allowing Liverpool to coast through the remainder of the game as they recorded a fourth consecutive win.
Find out how all of action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.
These two sides traditionally provide bucketloads of goals, and with the top-four race, relegation battle and Rafael Benitez's latest return to Anfield also thrown into the mix, there should be no shortage of storylines from this showdown today.
We will have a closer look at both teams a little later, but first things first let's check out the team news...
Well, we'll start with the home side and the headline as far as Liverpool are concerned is that captain Jordan Henderson returns to the side, having been rested last time out against West Ham.
James Milner is the man to drop out of the starting lineup for the skipper having picked up a knock during that win over the Hammers, although he is deemed fit enough for a place on the bench this afternoon.
Lovren partners the most expensive defender of all time Virgil van Dijk in central defence this afternoon, while Alexander-Arnold is once again preferred to Gomez and Andrew Robertson continues ahead of Moreno on either defensive flank.
Mane has not quite been at his best throughout the campaign, but there are signs that his form is improving now and that will only increase the attacking power at Liverpool's disposal, with Firmino and Salah also in devastating form this season.
Indeed, the Egyptian winger has had a hand in 31 league goals this season, adding eight assists to his 23 goals, and across all competitions he has now scored in six successive matches. The last player to score in more consecutive matches for Liverpool was Daniel Sturridge, who did so in eight in February 2014.
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However, the shot-stopper - who has succeeded Darlow and Elliot as the club's number one already - did concede twice in the final 10 minutes of the draw with Bournemouth last time out.
Shelvey is replaced in the team by Mikel Merino, while Jacob Murphy comes in in place of Matt Ritchie, who only earns a place on the bench this afternoon despite recovering from illness in time to make the matchday squad for this game.
Atsu will look to give support to Dwight Gayle up front, with the striker having overcome a slight hamstring problem to again lead the line tonight. He scored both of Newcastle's goals in the draw with Bournemouth last time out, and will hope to be among the goals again here.
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Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune and Dummett make up that back four, although the likes of Diame and Merino will need to drop back and protect them further if they are to stifle Liverpool's front three.
Sixty-five of those have come in the Premier League too, although as has been the case for a number of years now, it is their defensive issues which have let them down this term, conceding more goals than any other team in the top five.
The Reds will start this game fourth in the table courtesy of Tottenham's win over Huddersfield in the 3pm kickoffs, but victory would see them end the day second - where they would stay until at least Monday night, when United take on Crystal Palace.
Indeed, the Reds have seemingly found consistency at long last having lost just one of their last 19 league games stretching back to October, although the next step will be trying to turn some of the draws from that spell into victories.
Even more impressively, though, Liverpool have scored 16 goals in those five games - including nine in their last two -while they have also emerged victorious from each of their last three outings.
The midweek European clash should just be a dead-rubber for Liverpool following their impressive 5-0 win in the reverse at the Estadio Do Dragao, but the latter game could go a long way to determining who finishes as runners-up to Manchester City this season.
The Reds have lost just one of their 20 home games across all competitions this term, with that defeat coming at the hands of West Brom in the FA Cup. while in the Premier League they are yet to taste defeat at Anfield this season - joining Man City as the only two unbeaten home teams left in this top flight.
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The Reds have actually scored more goals away from home this season than they have here at Anfield, and they have not kept a home clean sheet since Boxing Day - six matches ago. The Reds had kept seven clean sheets in their nine home games prior to that, so there has been a definite defensive dip here recently.
No club needs reminding of that less than Liverpool, who won the 2005 Champions League against all odds under the Spaniard, and added an FA Cup trophy to that a year later. Benitez went on to manage 350 games during his six-year spell in charge of Liverpool, boasting a win percentage of 55%.
The Spaniard is also winless against Liverpool in that time, drawing all three meetings, but he would take another one of those tonight I'm sure. Both of his previous visits to Anfield have seen him draw 2-2.
Swansea's victory earlier today means that Newcastle have dropped a place from 15th to 16th even before kickoff, but it is so tight in that bottom half that a win or two for the Magpies could be the difference between staying up and being relegated.
Indeed, Man City - home and away - are the only team to have beaten Newcastle in the Premier League since December 16, but the problem has been too many draws in that time, with the Magpies sharing the spoils on five occasions.
Ten of Newcastle's 13 league defeats this season have come against teams who began today in the top half of the table, including all five of their such matches away from home.
Newcastle have also been decent enough away from home this season, picking up the same number of points on the road as Arsenal. Indeed, if only way form counted then Newcastle would be sitting in the top half of the table.
Even so, Newcastle are still winless on the road since New Year's Day and, with their final five away games of the league season coming against teams who began the day in the top half, they may need to start picking up their form at home too.
Newcastle have looked a lot harder to beat in recent weeks, and you can never underestimate the quality of Benitez's tactics, but it is very hard to back against Liverpool at the moment - particularly at home. We're going for a comfortable home win.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
A couple of 4-3 results in the mid-90s are the most memorable of fixtures between these two, but there have been plenty more down the years and hopefully we will see another this evening.
Since then Liverpool are unbeaten in 21 home league games against the Magpies - including five wins from five during Benitez's time at Anfield - and Newcastle have only endured two longer winless away runs to a single opponent: 29 games at Manchester United until 2012 and 22 at Chelsea, which ended in 1981.
The reverse fixture last season ended 1-1 as Joselu cancelled out Coutinho's opener, whereas at Anfield in April 2016 Newcastle came from two goals down to earn a draw.
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mane
NEWCASTLE STARTING XI: Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett; Murphy, Diame, Merino, Kenedy; Atsu; Gayle
Oxlade-Chamberlain picks the ball up in midfield before bursting forward and playing the ball to Salah, who is unmarked inside the box. This time it is just one touch and shoot, putting the ball between the legs of Dubravka for his 32nd goal of the season.
Liverpool have dominated possession throughout, but Newcastle defended really well to frustrate the Reds for the vast majority of the half. Liverpool took their one big chance, though, and are now en route to moving second in the table.
The Ox drew the Newcastle defenders towards him before playing the ball into an unmarked Salah, who took a touch and slipped him finish between the legs of Dubravka for his 32nd goal of the season - as many as Newcastle have managed as a team.
On the whole, though, Liverpool's performance in that first half lacked enough urgency and pace in the play, and Klopp will want an improvement in the second half despite his team being ahead at the break.
His curling effort was heading for the top corner, but Karius reacted really well to pull off a brilliant save and claw the ball away.
26 - Big 5 Euro League players to score in the most competitive club matches this season:
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 3, 2018
Mohamed Salah - 26 games
Edinson Cavani - 24 games
Robert Lewandowski - 23 games
Sergio Agüero/Harry Kane - 21 games
Lionel Messi - 20 games
Superstars. pic.twitter.com/v2aTRvThYO
A couple of quick passes finds Firmino in some space, and he squeezes a really clever pass through for Mane. The winger takes one touch before curling his finish past Dubravka, and perhaps putting this game to bed for Liverpool.
200 - Sadio Mané's goal was the 200th that Liverpool have scored in the Premier League under Jürgen Klopp. Since he was appointed, only Man City (214) have scored more often in the competition. Exciting. pic.twitter.com/uBFXMpplaO
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 3, 2018
Firmino ➡ Mané ➡ 2-0 to Liverpool!
— Sky Sports PL (@SkySportsPL) March 3, 2018
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Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane got the goals for the hosts, who never really got out of second gear as they battled their way past a stubborn but toothless Newcastle.
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's late Premier League kickoff as Liverpool climb up to second place courtesy of a 2-0 win over Newcastle. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
