Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw against Newcastle United on Wednesday night in a lacklustre performance that ensured the Anfield club finished 2020 with just two victories from their last five games in all competitions.
Despite keeping their spot at the top of the Premier League table, Jurgen Klopp’s side looked tired and riddled with poor performances from a number of Liverpool’s most important players.
So who performed on the night and who let their side down? Let’s take a look at the player ratings.
Newcastle United 0-0 Liverpool: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats
✔️ GOOD PERFORMANCE
Karl Darlow: 7.7
Although Liverpool didn’t look their best on the night, the hosts were undoubtedly forced into some superb defensive performances and very few did as well as Karl Darlow did between the Newcastle posts.
The shot-stopper made no less than four huge saves over the course of the game and despite a tremendous performance from the defensive line in front of him, there’s little doubt that Newcastle needed their keeper at certain moments in the game to step up and show his worth to ensure an important point.
❌ BAD PERFORMANCE
Mohamed Salah: 5.9
If Liverpool simply weren’t at the races today it was best characterised by the slow and error-prone performance of Mohamed Salah over the course of the evening.
The Egyptian forward can turn a game on its head in a moment's notice but despite a number of clear-cut chances, Salah failed to show the kind of clinical touch that has made him such a success for the Anfield club.
Despite five touches in the box over the course of the game, Salah managed just two shots and only one on target. If he had been on form it could have been three points rather than just one for Klopp’s side.
⭐ STAR MAN
Federico Fernandez: 8.1
For huge parts of the game Newcastle were forced to batten down the hatches and the only way the hosts were able to do that with any sort of success was because of the defensive performance from central defender Federico Fernandez.
The 31-year-old attempted more tackles than any other player on the pitch, more headers than any other Newcastle player on the pitch and also completed six clearances as well. He was also second only to Matthew Longstaff when it came to completed passes.
Newcastle United 0-0 Liverpool: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats
Sadio Mané 
Mohamed Salah 
Roberto Firmino 
Liverpool 
Everton 
Man City 
Man Utd 
Tottenham 
Newcastle 
