Liverpool break incredible xG record in victory over Newcastle

Liverpool moved themselves three points clear at the top of the table following their 4-2 victory over Newcastle United, but it wasn't straightforward for the Reds.

Jurgen Klopp's side were made to work hard for their victory on Monday night, albeit they played incredibly well at Anfield up against a spirited Newcastle.

Mohamed Salah missed a first-half penalty for the Reds as they went into the break goalless, but the Egyptian scored just after half-time to redeem himself.

Out of nowhere, Alexander Isak equalised shortly afterwards for the Magpies, but Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo each tapped-in to give Liverpool a two-goal cushion heading into the final ten minutes.

Sven Botman did give Liverpool a fright with his 82nd-minute header, but Salah made amends for his earlier penalty miss with four minutes to play, stroking home his second attempted spot kick in style.

The scoreline rather flattered Newcastle in the end, with Klopp's men dominant from start to finish on Merseyside.

That control was underlined by the fact that they registered a staggering 34 shots on goal - the most of any team in the league this season- 15 of which were on target.

But even more incredibly, Liverpool broke the record for expected goals in a single Premier League match, registering a staggering xG of 7.27.

That's the highest value ever recorded in the Premier League, summing up just how persistent the Reds were in front of goal - although it also highlights how wasteful Liverpool ultimately were.

Meanwhile, Newcastle managed to score two goals from an xG of just 0.59, a fraction of Liverpool's final tally.

The victory over Newcastle took Liverpool's xG tally for the season up to 46.31 - the most in the Premier League. The Reds have scored 43 times after 20 matches, meaning they are only slightly underperforming their expected numbers at present.

However, Liverpool's depth and quality eventually told in Monday's chaotic thriller, a result which could be hugely significant in the Reds' title bid.