Liverpool beat West Ham United over the weekend while Everton suffered a 4-1 loss at home to Newcastle Unitedplaceholder image
Liverpool beat West Ham United over the weekend while Everton suffered a 4-1 loss at home to Newcastle United | Getty Images
Liverpool beat West Ham United over the weekend while Everton suffered a 4-1 loss at home to Newcastle United
The Reds had lost their last three games but produced a more all-round display against the Hammers to clinch a deserved 2-0 win with Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo getting on the scoresheet.
Everton had defeated Manchester United with 10 men at Old Trafford before their clash with Newcastle but were handed a shock 4-1 loss at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Magpies went 1-0 up inside the first minute through Malick Thiaw. The defender also scored just before the hour mark to put the visitors 4-0 up.
Lewis Miley and Nick Woltemade also scored, as they put Newcastle in control with goals in the first half. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall grabbed Everton’s only goal in the 69th minute.
The respective results saw Liverpool move up to eighth in the Premier League, nine points behind leader Arsenal as they remain three points behind Aston Villa in fourth. Everton dropped below Newcastle and into 14th following their defeat.
But where might both Merseyside clubs end the season?
Data experts at Opta have forecast the final Premier League table and predict Liverpool to finish in fourth place with around 64 points - which could be about 18 points behind Arsenal who are forecast to win the title.
Everton, meanwhile, are tipped to place in 13th with around 49 points. It would put them well clear of the relegation battle but not close enough to fight for a European spot.
Speaking after their defeat to Newcastle, manager David Moyes said: “I could talk about us, but I actually think that Newcastle were good. We weren't good, so that was partly the reason. “[I’m] disappointed, obviously, with the result and the performance. We got off to a really poor start, you know, not by design. There's a lot of credit I have to give to Newcastle. I think they're a long way ahead of us.
“We beat them at St. James' Park at the end of last season, but I think at the moment they're showing their experience from their Champions League games. They know how to try and defend and then score in the counter-attack.
“I think Newcastle were better than maybe the two teams we've played recently. I think they're showing their experience from the games they get and their players.
“They've got the ability to change players. They've got a lot of speed in the wide areas. They're spending big on centre-forwards and they're really powerful at the back, never mind talking about the midfield players.”
Liverpool boss Arne Slot was understandably more upbeat about his side’s performance over the weekend, as he reflected: “In terms of results, it's, of course, very good. But there were also a few things similar to other games of ours and a few things that were different. So, the things that were similar were that, again, we couldn't score our first chances. The good thing was that today for the first time in many, many, many games [that] the first chance of the opponent didn't go in as well.
“The best thing was that it was their only chance and that was after 90 minutes. This happened so many times to us that the first chance the other team gets goes in and then you get a completely different game, as we've seen so many times.
“Not conceding a set-piece, actually maybe scoring from one – because it came from a long throw, it took a while – these are things that are so important if you want to win a game of football. Yes, people probably say, 'You had more control, you didn't concede as much.' But it's quite a difference if you go 1-0 down after five minutes and you have to chase the game, or you are at 0-0, you are controlling a game and after 1-0 you can control even more.”
Opta predicted Premier League table in full
Arsenal, 81 points
Manchester City, 70 points
Chelsea, 66 points
Liverpool, 64 points
Aston Villa, 63 points
Brighton and Hove Albion, 60 points
Newcastle United, 58 points
Crystal Palace, 58 points
Manchester United, 57 points
Brentford, 54 points
AFC Bournemouth, 53 points
Tottenham Hotspur, 51 points
Everton, 49 points
Fulham, 48 points
Sunderland, 48 points
Nottingham Forest, 41 points
West Ham, 37 points
Leeds United, 35 points
Burnley, 34 points
Wolves, 24 points
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