Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a spectacular goal as the Reds bounced back from the loss of three players to suspected positive COVID-19 tests to beat Newcastle United 3-1 at Anfield.
Liverpool moves onto 40 points from 17 games, one behind leaders Manchester City.
With Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones all ruled out for the hosts, Jonjo Shelvey struck the opener for Newcastle against the run of play in the seventh minute, with a swerving, dipping drive past unsighted goalkeeper Allison Becker.
The lead lasted 14 minutes before Diogo Jota fired home the rebound after Martin Dubravka saved his initial header to level, with Newcastle's players complaining the ball should have been put out of play as Isaac Hayden was down injured in his own box.
Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead four minutes later and Alexander-Arnold got the third with an 87th-minute rocket to wrap up a win that leaves Newcastle second-bottom on 10 points.
Elsewhere, Chelsea suffered another setback in their Premier League title challenge when they were held to a 1-1 home draw by an injury-hit Everton, leaving the Blues four points adrift of table-toppers Manchester City.
Chelsea, themselves missing their first-choice strikers due to COVID-19, failed to turn early dominance into goals before Mason Mount made the breakthrough in the 70th minute when he took a pass from Reece James and fired past Jordan Pickford.
Mount had missed one of the hosts' many chances in the opening period when, clean through, he was denied by Pickford's outstretched foot.
The visitors drew level within four minutes of Chelsea going ahead when Anthony Gordon floated a looping free-kick to the far post and 19-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite stretched out a boot to turn the ball past goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Chelsea struggled to make further inroads without Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who had all tested positive for COVID-19. Kai Havertz was also unwell and awaiting the results of a test.
The draw left Chelsea in third place behind Manchester City who thrashed Leeds United 7-0, and Liverpool.
Reuters
