In the early morning of January 2, Beijing time, in a key battle in the 20th round of the English Premier League, Liverpool defeated Newcastle 4-2 at home, continuing to lead the standings with a 3-point advantage, while leaving Manchester City and Arsenal behind them by 5 points. In this round, only Arsenal lost in the top 5 teams, and the chain fell early on the way to the championship.
In the last two home games, Liverpool drew with Manchester United and Arsenal in a row, and failed to extend the lead, coupled with Arsenal's recent poor record, sent Liverpool to win the halfway title. Before the home game against Newcastle, Liverpool received the news that Arsenal were winless, so that the team would remain in top of the table with one game in hand.
In the face of Newcastle's challenge, Liverpool played a big victory at Anfield, after a long time in the first half, the second half was full of firepower, Salah completed a brace, and Jones and Gakpo scored a goal each, sitting on a 4-2 victory over Newcastle, also completed the home and away double.
With the win, Liverpool are unbeaten in 28 consecutive home games against Newcastle in all competitions, having last lost in the Carabao Cup in November 1995, and have scored 119 goals against Newcastle in the Premier League, the most of any opponent.
In this game, Salah became the number one contributor to Liverpool's victory, contributing 2 goals and 1 assist, scoring the 151st goal of Liverpool's Premier League career and being crowned the fifth person in team history.
In the first 2 match days, Arsenal, Villa, Manchester City, and Tottenham have ended this round of games, and Villa, Manchester City, and Tottenham have all won, but Arsenal has lost, which directly changed the pattern of the championship.
As the defending champions, Manchester City easily defeated the bottom 2-0 at home to Sheffield United, Emery's Villa, 3-2 at home to Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur won 3-1 at home to Bournemouth, but Arsenal faced Fulham away, and finally led 1-0, suffered a reversal by the opponent, suffered two consecutive defeats, and the last five rounds have a poor record of 1 win, 1 draw and 3 losses.
It was Arsenal's first consecutive defeat in the Premier League this season and their first comeback in the Premier League since their defeat to Manchester City on 1 January 2022, with 42 wins and six draws unbeaten from their previous 48 Premier League leads.
Arsenal collapsed last season until April, and now they fell off the chain in January, and the lead they had built up was wiped out.
In the latest standings, Liverpool continues to lead with 45 points, Villa rises to second with 42 points, Manchester City and Arsenal have 40 points, Manchester City has a goal difference and rises to third, Arsenal falls to fourth, and Tottenham continues to rank fifth, but it is only 1 point away from Arsenal, and the championship pattern has changed greatly.