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Naby Keita shines as Liverpool edge past Newcastle to go top of the Premier League

Liverpool beat Newcastle 1-0 at St James' Park on Saturday to move back to the top of the Premier League table.

Naby Keita scored the only goal of the game as the Reds moved one step closer to completing an unprecedented quadruple.

Sportsmail's Dominic King assesses how the players from both teams fared on Tyneside in the weekend's early kick-off...

Naby Keita netted the winning goal to send Liverpool top of the Premier League table

NEWCASTLE (4-3-3)

Martin Dubravka – Only reason Newcastle were able to stay in the game so long was down to him making so many good saves – 8

Emil Krafth – Given a breather late on after spending much of the afternoon chasing up and down after Diaz and Mane – 5

Fabian Schar – Injured himself in the build up to Liverpool’s opening goal with a rash tackle and was later withdrawn – 5

Fabian Schar went down in the build up to the goal, and had to be taken off after the break

Dan Burn – Strong and imposing and stuck to his guns against Jota, came out of the contest with a fair degree of credit – 7

Matt Targett – Liverpool looked to prey on him in the first half but he stuck it, as he did when Salah came on to ask questions – 7

Bruno Guimaraes – First time he was sighted in a position of danger was in the 87th minute when he produced a shot that was as tame as his display – 5

Bruno Guimaraes had one of his quieter games in a Newcastle shirt on Saturday

Jonjo Shelvey – There was once a time when he was regarded as Liverpool’s midfield future but he never got near the current bunch – 5

Joe Willock – Tough afternoon for the youngster and no chance to repeat what he did last year with a late equaliser against Liverpool – 6

Miguel Almiron – Had the ball in the net but was immediately flagged offside; given no change by Robertson – 5

Allan Saint-Maximin – His frustrations threatened to boil over at times as he strayed offside, struggled for service and never got involved – 5

Allan Saint-Maximin cut a frustrated figure for much of the afternoon at St James' Park

Joelinton – Much improved under Eddie Howe but this wasn’t a game to showcase the qualities that have so enthused the locals – 5

Substitutes

Lascelles (for Schar 60mins 6), Wood (for Willock 67mins 5), Murphy (for Krafth 85mins 5)

Unused

Darlow (GK), Dummett, Ritchie, Manquillo, Gayle, Longstaff

MANAGER

Eddie Howe – Spent much of the game in conversation with his assistant Jason Tindall trying to find some way of solving the riddles Liverpool posed.