Statistically this may have been a meeting of the Premier League's two in-form teams of 2022, but the outcome proved to be rather more predictable than it may have appeared on paper.

The records show that there was one goal difference at the end of 94 minutes, but that wasn't a great reflection of an afternoon when Liverpool made and missed a clutch of opportunities after taking a 19th minute lead.

Newcastle's best chances in either half meanwhile were correctly cancelled out by offside calls - something that at least pointed to a more progressive attitude than in some recent seasons when we barely got over halfway.

However, the hosts failed to win a single corner and struggled to control and pass the ball on more occasions than was healthy - and not all of their shortcomings were attributable to the red wall they faced.

Collecting maximum points from each of their last six home games, United took to the field on the back of four successive victories; making a trio of changes from the side that won handsomely at Norwich a week earlier.

Out went Jamaal Lascelles, Sean Longstaff and Jacob Murphy, making way for Fabian Schar, Jonjo Shelvey and Miguel Almiron - with Chris Wood again left on the bench.

Pushing the visitors back from the first whistle, United had enjoyed the better of the early exchanges before Naby Keita grabbed what would be the decisive goal. And as was the case when Liverpool levelled in the first meeting of the teams this season, Fabian Schar played a crucial, if unwitting role.

That time a collision between Isaac Hayden and Schar following a corner kick was ignored by whistler Mike Dean, playing continuing until Diogo Jota lashed home. This time the Swiss defender stayed down after a coming together with James Milner and was still prone when Naby Keita beat Martin Dubravka.

Attacking the Gallowgate End after losing the toss, Allan Saint-Maximin had Newcastle's best opportunity in the first half but shot wide, shortly before a swift counter attack ended by Sadio Mane wastefully fired at Dubravka.

Even allowing for our recent resilience when going behind, a second away goal then would surely have ended the game as a contest. As it was though, United ended the half on something of a high; Miggy Almiron squeezing the ball home even though he was clearly offside and the goal didn't stand.  

That one goal deficit remained after the restart; a mixture of poor finishing and saves from Dubravka giving rise to optimism that "something" would happen in our favour. For an instant that appeared to have arrived in the 77th minute as Saint-Maximin for once evaded an opponent and provided a positive pass to a colleague, in this case the recently-arrived Wood.

Replays confirmed that the striker was offside as he bore down on goal and his effort - which bounced off Allison - wouldn't have counted. Aside from one routine stop to deny Bruno late on, that was it, United staying in the game but never really building up a head of steam and Mo Salah getting in a tangle when he looked odds-on to make it 2-0.

There have been enough memorable moments on this ground in 2022 not to be any more than rueful that nothing of note occurred today from a home perspective and we deservedly lost to an outstanding opponent, albeit one who weren't operating at full capacity.

Brighton's resounding victory at Wolves saw United end the day dropping one place to tenth. Defeat for Norwich at Villa meanwhile made the Canaries the first side to be relegated and they'll be joined by Watford in due course, barring an improbable series of results. That leaves the third place to be fought over by Burnley, Leeds and Everton - with every prospect that things could go down to the final day.   

It's testament to the prowess of Eddie Howe and his staff that this game was of vital importance only to one side - something that we had feared in rather different order after our pre-Christmas defeat at Anfield, when a look at the fixture list caused us to wonder whether today could see us relegated. 

From the present to the future then and it's tempting to wonder whether today will be a watershed moment in the history of this fixture, denoting the point at which anything other than a defeat for Newcastle would be seen as something of a fluke.

Today was a convenient reminder though that we're a barely conceivable distance away from parity with the big lads - and that next week's visit to Manchester City may be a further reality check. 

Biffa