Mohamed Salah Scores, Liverpool Beat Newcastle 4-0 on Boxing Day

Liverpool grabbed their seventh win in a row across all competitions on Boxing Day, beating Newcastle United 4-0 at home. Mohamed Salah converted a penalty.  

The hosts took the lead through Dejan Lovren, who smashed home a rebound after a corner was badly cleared.

Salah won his side a penalty with some theatrics early in the second half, converting himself, and Xherdan Shaqiri added to the advantage with just over 10 minutes left to play. Fabinho also got on the scoresheet.

The Reds are still unbeaten in the Premier League and haven't lost since the November 28 match against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.

Despite Win, Klopp Will Rue Lack of Rotations

Liverpool enjoyed an easy afternoon on Boxing Day but missed a great opportunity to rotate the squad, and that decision could prove costly.

Manager Jurgen Klopp stuck with his top attacking trio of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino and kept Virgil van Dijk in the side at the back. The Dutch defender barely had any work to do, while the Reds controlled proceedings in midfield and earned a good amount of chances.

They were far from their best, per Ian Doyle of the Echo, with some players lacking sharpness:

Liverpool looked tired for large stretches of the contest, a logical result from the busy playing schedule and the fact this match took place the day after Christmas.

Fortunately, they went up against the Magpies, and as noted by former U.S. international Jimmy Conrad, Newcastle don't usually put up much resistance:

With Arsenal on the schedule for Saturday and a crucial match against Manchester City on January 3, this fixture provided Klopp with a golden opportunity to give his key men a rest.

The likes of Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Adam Lallana were all available on the bench, and they're more than talented enough to help the team past a hapless Newcastle side.

Instead, Salah, Mane, Firmino and the others added even more wear and tear to their seemingly tired legs, shortly before a key double-header that could have a major impact on the title race.

Liverpool may have bagged three points on Boxing Day, but the Reds could look back on Wednesday's fixture with some regret.

What's Next?

Liverpool host Arsenal on Saturday, while Newcastle visit Watford.