Newcastle United's attacking intent, stumbling across a robust midfield & Yedlin upshot – Liam Kennedy's SEVEN takeaways

Here’s what Liam Kennedy learned from the 1-1 Liverpool draw in his SEVEN Newcastle United takeaways.

Turn up the pressure? Darlow only gets better

Karl Darlow now has Martin Dubravka breathing down his neck.

The Slovak returned to the Magpies bench for the first time this season and rather than feel the pressure of the No1 being back, Darlow's performances, against the Premier League champions, went up a notch.

One save in particular stood out - an inexplicably good right hand to a Mo Salah clip round the corner.

Darlow at present is quite simply undroppable.

DeAndre Yedlin saves his best for last

The final game of 2020 and all of a sudden DeAndre Yedlin rolls back the years and puts in a performance not seen from him in black and white for at least three years.

He's always looked defensively frail but this show was flawless and the USA international was an ever-willing runner in attack.

Watching this it makes you wonder how he every turned out to be third choice right-back at the club. One swallow, of course, does not a summer (or winter) make.

Ritchie still does little to convince

I'm just not having Matt Ritchie as the left wing-back in this side.

Yes, he has done the job before and I'm not saying he's a bad player. Just that he really does not look comfortable defensively and when given the ball he looks so rushed and intent on going backwards.

Problem is, Jamal Lewis wasn't that much better, although he is better in a five than a four.

Combative midfield – the way forward?

After trying any number of combinations in the middle, has Steve Bruce finally stumbled upon his best?

Isaac Hayden and Matty Longstaff have certainly looked combative and robust in the middle - it's not often we have been able to say that.

Only time will tell, of course, in proving whether these two are the best pairing, with Jonjo Shelvey, Jeff Hendrick and Sean Longstaff waiting in the wings, but the early signs are good.

It's a shame the two will be broken up so soon with Hayden now suspended for Leicester.

Tireless Wilson – what a player!

Never stopped running, a constant nuisance.

Even when he is not scoring goals he is a real asset to Newcastle United.

Didn't give the Liverpool backline a minute's piece. His efforts deserved a goal - and he almost got one, albeit fortuitously.

Joelinton looked SHARP (ish)

I've mentioned on here before that it's baby steps with Joelinton.

He has shown some signs of improvement this season - and it felt like last night was a game where the big Brazilian showed some striking smarts, winning fouls, holding it up, etc.

Needs to keep it up.

The forward intent – that's more like it

All Newcastle United fans asked for was for their team to show a bit of attacking intent.

And for 45 minutes, the Magpies did just that.

They faded in the second but that's past the point. They showed they can be better than they've shown lately.

They key now is to produce that kind of performance against every side, not just raise it for the best.

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