A thrilling six-goal match between Liverpool and Newcastle began the year 2024.

After Sven Botman tripped Luis Diaz in the area, Mohamed Salah had a penalty attempt saved by Martin Dubravka in the middle of the first half.

Just five minutes after halftime, though, the Egyptian made amends by scoring from close range after receiving a ball from Darwin Nunez to break the tie.

Just four minutes after the Reds took the lead, the visitors’ equaliser, Alexander Isak, scored off a through ball from Anthony Gordon and beat Alisson to restore parity.

In the dying minutes of the match, Jurgen Klopp’s team took the lead again thanks to a goal by Curtis Jones, set up by a combination of Salah and Diogo Jota.

In the waning moments, Cody Gakpo scored the third goal for the home team after evading the offside trap and meeting Salah’s twisting cross from the right side uncontested.

With Botman cruising home an uncontested reducer in front of The Kop, the Magpies quickly responded, setting the stage for what might be an excruciating final.

But Salah would get his revenge with a second penalty kick following Dubravka’s hauldown of Jota, which sent the custodian rushing the other way.

Presented below are the main points of discussion from Anfield:

Salah leaves voluntarily.

Anything other than a monumental performance in Mohamed Salah’s last Liverpool match before the Africa Cup of Nations would have been a surprise.

It was one of his most comprehensive performances, but not even the Egyptian could have predicted that he would be leaving a rain-soaked Anfield at full time.

Before his impending international break, Salah had an impact for Jurgen Klopp’s squad that went beyond his two goals, one assist, and missed penalty.

The remainder of the Premier League is following behind the 31-year-old as he heads to the tournament in the Ivory Coast, having been involved in 22 goals.

After 20 Premier League games, no player has scored or assisted more goals than Salah, and his absence will surely be felt in ways that go well beyond those important statistics.

The Reds gain vitality from Salah’s presence on the pitch, which is frequently severely absent when he is not named to the starting lineup.

His bow out against Newcastle was on those very same conditions, and nobody was surprised.

Reds, however, remain adequately covered.

Over the next month, we will feel the loss of more than simply Salah.

With Alexis Mac Allister out with an injury and still getting used to the new environment, Wataru Endo has been a lifesaver in recent weeks.

Even the Japan captain will be out for a good chunk of the early part of the season’s second half due to his participation in the Asia Cup.

Even if he has been a major disappointment, Liverpool now boasts a strong supporting cast thanks to Mac Allister’s return.

After overcoming what appeared to be a nasty knee injury last month against Sheffield United, the World Cup winner made a brief return as the no. 6 after Endo was benched.

The attributes that Mac Allister will bring to the table were exemplified by an accurate pass that allowed fellow substitute Diogo Jota to win the second penalty of the game.

When Salah is out with an injury, Klopp has other options outside the 25-year-old’s return to the lineup who can help out offensively.

Even coming off the bench, Jota gave fans hope that he is regaining his form, and Luis Diaz looked like he was playing at or near his top.

There will be a short-term replacement for Liverpool’s star players, so the manager may be able to get a better night’s rest.

‘Monsters of mind’ become xG experts

When it comes to Liverpool’s team, Klopp has never been shy about giving them compliments.

The German relied on the catch-all term “mentality monsters” to describe the ceiling that his charges still had.

But Anfield’s current crop is defined by more than just resilience; as their goal-scoring against the Magpies demonstrated, they peppered Martin Dubravka.

Over the course of the match, the away team had 34 shots, 15 of which were efforts on goal, setting a new record for anticipated goals (xG) in the Premier League.

Since the metric’s introduction in 2012, their anticipated haul of 7.27 has been the highest figure produced in any top-flight fixture.

Liverpool might have gained more distance towards their xG quota than the meagre four goals they scored on Monday had Darwin Nunez shown greater proficiency in front of goal.

The fact that they are creating so many opportunities bodes well for a title race in which they will still be in the lead by 2024’s beginning.