SHAY Given had a glass VERY half-full outlook upon seeing Liverpool dispatch of Newcastle United with relative ease.
On Wednesday evening the Reds took their latest step in what’s become a procession to the Premier League title.
Given, 48, shared the spotlight with Owen, 45, on Premier League TV[/caption]
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai supplied the goals in a comfortable 2-0 home win[/caption]
Given was on punditry duty as the Toon representative for Premier League TV alongside former Liverpool goal machine Michael Owen.
Reflecting on the evening as a whole, the Ireland legend hopes it’ll be another story when they meet in the League Cup final on March 16.
He joked: “Nice to be on Premier League TV with Steve Bower and Michael Owen.
“Hopefully the Toon saving themselves for the final in a few weeks!”
He and Newcastle supporters everywhere can at least take solace in the fact that that affair will take place in the neutral venue of Wembley.
And there was also a significant contributing factor to last night’s loss since they were without their top marksman Alexander Isak who was ruled out with a minor groin complaint.
Arne Slot was sat in the main stand at Anfield on a night when Liverpool’s fans started celebrating the title.
The moment Alexis Mac Alister swept a shot past Nick Pope for the Reds’ second goal, with Dominik Szoboszlai having scored the first, the sound of ‘We’re going to win the league’ appeared to be sung by virtually every person inside the stadium.
Apart from Slot, obviously. Although he was probably humming along.
Incredibly, Liverpool are now 13 points clear and this gap is certainly unlucky for everyone else.
With 10 games left, Liverpool have the cigars out so why don’t the Premier League get on with it and hand over the title now?
Slot was banned from the dugout as he served the first of a two-match ban due to the red card he received at the end of the Merseyside derby against Everton for comments made to the officials.
Throughout that game at Goodison Park, Slot was the most animated we had seen him since arriving in England and over the next day or so, the FA will release the reasons behind the ban and what was said by the Dutchman.
Yet Slot, who posed for pictures with the mascots near the tunnel before taking his seat in the stands, looked nice and relaxed throughout – and little wonder.
Even though Mo Salah failed to score for the ninth game in succession – yet he did deliver an assist – the red machine rolled on relentlessly.
For Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, it is now just one win in 21 matches against Liverpool and he will be hoping for much better luck in the Carabao Cup final.
Ultimately, Liverpool were comfortable even though Newcastle did improve in the second half.
SALAH THE CENTREPIECE
As you would expect, all the talk before the game was about Salah who is out of contract at the end of this season.
Yet in an TV interview early in the day, Salah claimed there was still no news regarding a new deal.
Salah also claimed this is his best campaign at the club even though this is the fifth time he has hit the 30-goal mark.
The reason, Salah stressed, was he believes he is helping his team-mates play better and gave the examples of Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo.
