Fabian Schär surprises Liverpool and achieves a late equalizer for Newcastle in a thriller | first division

As a smile slowly spread across his face, Mohamed Salah kissed the club crest adorning his rain-soaked red shirt. The Egyptian's ninth goal in seven first division games, and second of the night, had not only strengthened Liverpool's challenge for the title, but strengthened the argument for offering a striker who, at this point, could probably walk unaided across the River Nile, a lucrative contract extension at Anfield.

Not that Salah was the only man to improve his negotiating position, as Fabian Schär's late equalizer ensured that one of the games of the season, if not the decade, ended with honors even as the leaders' winning streak The Arne Slot league finally stopped.

Much of that was down to Newcastle standout Alexander Isak. For much of a gripping evening, the Swedish striker outshone even Salah, scoring a fine first goal and setting up Newcastle's second as Eddie Howe's players were reminded that they can play a bit too.

Newcastle began as if the incessant repetitions of Howe's mantra – “intensity is our identity” – were ringing in their ears. It meant that, with his Liverpool As his team-mates struggled to regain their familiar fluency and fluidity, Caoimhin Kelleher was quickly called to arms, smartly saving from Sandro Tonali following an excellent pass down the left wing from Anthony Gordon.

After a Disappointing defeat against West Ham here and a disappointing draw at Crystal Palace Newcastle had raised their game in the way that a team invariably at their best in counter-attacking mode tends to do when a high-calibre opposition visits Tyneside.

On a night when Trent Alexander-Arnold initially rested his legs on the visiting bench, Jarell Quansah certainly looked a little uncomfortable when Gordon turned up with the mission of showing Slot precisely why he was the subject of an ultimately unsuccessful transfer to Anfield on last summer.

Not that Salah looked even remotely intimidated as he engaged in an intriguing duel with Lewis Hall. A blocked cross from the former preceded Alexis Mac Allister who unleashed a half-volley that led to an impressive save from Nick Pope. When Mac Allister's next shot brushed a post, Howe's agitation on the touchline was amplified, but then Isak played cleverly with Jacob Murphy and the withdrawn right winger's shot also brushed a post.

Like Salah, Isak wants a new contract with the club, but until Wednesday night he was not disappointed this season.

That all changed in the blur of motion encompassing Isak's collection of Bruno Guimarães' reverse pass and the subsequent imperious turn that saw Virgil van Dijk spin in a style that Slot's key centre-back is unaccustomed to. All that was left was for Isak to challenge Kelleher thanks to a brutally deflected shot into the top corner from around 20 yards.

Kelleher suddenly appeared to be standing between Newcastle and a bigger lead as his saves repeatedly avoided his team-mate's discomfort. If Gordon really should have beaten him after dodging Joe Gomez with ease, no one could argue that the replacement for the injured Alisson didn't deserve a touch of good luck.

It was now easy to understand why Slot had warned his players that Newcastle at St James' Park represented a more difficult task than Going head to head with Real Madrid. or Manchester City.

It is not the first time this season, although a until now deceptively calm Salah found a solution to his coach's problems. The second half was five minutes old when, latching on to a long ball over the top, he beat Hall and crossed low and accurately with the outside of one foot for the onrushing Curtis Jones to whip the ball, for the first time, more beyond Pope's reach.

After that, Newcastle were in danger with Cody Gakpo and Darwin Núñez inches away from scoring.

However, as the rain intensified, Guimarães and Isak combined to create the platform for Gordon to finally score thanks to a right-footed shot to which, for once, Kelleher had no response.

For a moment it looked as if he had taken too many touches, but Isak's magnificent pass demanded the conversion and, with Gomez again counted on, this time the boyhood Liverpool fan did it.

When Isak had another “goal” disallowed for offside, Liverpool heeded the warning and Alexander-Arnold, recently released from the bench, reminded everyone of his extraordinary chemistry with Salah by crossing from the right for the latter to finish and would wipe the smile off Howe's face. .

When Alexander-Arnold once again signaled for Salah to turn sharply and give Liverpool the lead, it looked like the game was over, but Schär's connection with a dropped free kick and a rare error from Kelleher assured the Newcastle a deserved point.