Kieran Trippier revealed Newcastle United specifically altered their set-pieces to take Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk out of the game. The Magpies' right-back consistently delivered high, out-swinging corners towards the penalty spot or back post.
Their plan tormented the Reds from the first minute to the last and led to Eddie Howe's side's first goal. Just before half-time, Dan Burn met one of Trippier's crosses with a thunderous header into the net despite making contact with the ball around 15 yards from the goal. The approach effectively neutralised Liverpool's towering defenders Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, rendering them spectators for much of the game. Post-match, Trippier shared the rationale behind their set-piece strategy with former Manchester City defender Richards, who was covering the match for American television channel CBS Sports.
On the Rest is Football podcast, Richards said: "A lot of people will talk about the goal but did people see the fade from Kieran Trippier. I spoke to him after the game and he said he did not put any in-swingers in, because Virgil van Dijk dominates those areas.
"He said he would go for the centre or the back post and lift it a little bit higher, because Dan Burn is taller than everyone. So if he could get a little bit of a run and the ball in was just amazing.
"When the ball is that high, lots of people talk about what the difference is between an in-swinger and an out-swinger, why do people put fade, bend or curl on it, whatever it may be. When the ball is that high, hit with a bit of swerve but it is flat, then you have to get more power in the header.
"When it is an in-swinger, you can sort of just glance it, but to get the power in the corner, seeing it live as well, I was thinking, 'you cannot possibly score from there' because there was no power on the ball. But to get his head back and get it in the corner was a joy to watch."
The Magpies were close to netting from a corner before Burn's goal, as the former Brighton defender rose highest to meet the ball, directing it towards Bruno Guimaraes, who sent a close-range header straight into the arms of Liverpool's keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Despite the missed opportunity, Newcastle secured victory thanks to Alexander Isak's second-half effort, even though Federico Chiesa's late goal for the opposition made for a tense finale. While all the Newcastle players performed admirably, Richards singled out Burn for praise.
Richards added: "Last season he played a lot at full-back and obviously they've had injuries to Botman and he moves across to centre-back. That was one of the best centre-back performances I have ever seen. People will say that I am getting over excited, but I am really not. A lot of people say that he is not good enough for Newcastle, that he is one to get rid off.
"But to have that mentality and go into the game against Liverpool, he won absolutely everything. He was on the front foot, he knew when to drop off and his goal was just remarkable."