Football | Willock to the rescue for Magpies at Anfield

A 96th-minute stoppage-time equaliser from Joe Willock saw Newcastle secure a 1-1 with Liverpool at Anfield.

Willock's last-gasp deflected effort from a Dwight Gayle cross ruled out Mohamed Salah's scintillating early strike for Jurgen Klopp's Reds.

For the second week in a row, Willock has come to Newcastle's aid with another vital goal as the pressure at the bottom end of the table heats up for Premier League survival, as Premier League champions Liverpool’s aspirations of playing Champions League Football has taken another setback.

Moments before hand the magpies had a goal ruled out for an adjudged handball by Callum Wilson, whose original attempt on goal was saved by Alisson Becker, but the rebounded shot touched Wilson’s arm before it trickled into the net, with VAR subsequently letting Liverpool off the hook.

The profligate Reds squandered a number of glorious chances after Salah gave them lead just after three minutes. The Egyptian did ever so well to spin away from Matt Ritchie at the back post before smashing the ball into the back of the net from 10 yards.

The hosts' lead could have been doubled when Sadio Mane tried to round Martin Dubravka to fire into an empty net after Salah squared the ball to Mane on the counter attack. However, the keeper did brilliantly to read it and pounced on the ball.

Further second half chances from Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and Mane proved to be in vain as a combination of poor finishing and good Dubravka goalkeeping thwarted the Reds. in the Newcastle goal did ever so well to keep the score at 1-0.

However, in the remaining two minutes of added time the drama unfolded with Wilson's 93rd-minute goal ruled out for handball, before Willock left it late to secure a crucial point for Steve Bruce's visitors.

The result leaves Newcastle in 15th place but most crucially nine points ahead of 18th place Fulham with just five games to go.

Liverpool have missed the chance to move prematurely into a Champions League spot as once again the Reds are left frustrated at Anfield.