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John Gibson

Newcastle have perfect chance to move on from gloating Klopp and reafirm St James' dominance

Now let Newcastle wipe away the heartache of Anfield and go blazing for the three points against Crystal Palace which have eluded them since the opening Premier League day. Maybe United's unbeaten record was cruelly ripped from their grasp in the 98th minute at Liverpool but 50,000 Geordies have an opportunity to welcome a potential new hero into their midst with a roar loud enough to waken the dead.

You have to acknowledge that Alexander Isak has style. He signed off at Real Sociedad by scoring against Barcelona and signed on for United with another goal against Liverpool. Historically two world powers.

And what a stunner it was to gain a magnificent United a deserved half-time lead. He could easily have notched a second too with a clever pull back and ice cool finish that I swear was chalked off by the width of the hairs on his right leg. Indeed when the ball hit the back of the net for a second time my memory transported me back to SuperMac's home debut in the seventies. He scored a hat-trick against another quality Liverpool side but it was at home of course.

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Malcolm Macdonald, like Isak, was United's record signing at the time and a young man at 21 who had never played in England's top flight. Isak is 22. Remember that what Newcastle achieved in terms of performance midweek was against all odds.

When faced by the best 99 times out of 100 you must have the best. Your best. United wondrously led Manchester City 3-1 and gained an invaluable draw against otherwise unstoppable champions by being able to call upon all their key players.

Callum Wilson, Bruno Guimaraes, Allan Saint-Maximin, Sven Botman, and Fabian Schar all played against City. Not one did at Liverpool. Isak, too, had to go off in just over an hour having run his blood to water with little training to put power in his legs.

However those who pulled on the Geordie strip for a start could take a massive bow. Isak, obviously, but also Ryan Fraser who was relentless in getting United up the park, Matt Targett who shackled Mo Salah and prevented him scoring against us at Anfield for the first time, and Dan Burn who was immense back playing where he belongs.

United were awesome first-half though tiredness coupled with substitutions that lacked the same intensity - I'm thinking of Chris Wood and Jacob Murphy - meant the home team could mount the offensive expected of them.

However for the Kop to boo off Newcastle for time wasting and Jurgen Klopp to spend the whole match looking as if his bum had been smacked was an absolute nonsense. I've a feeling that Klopp believes Liverpool ought to win as a matter of course and teams should obediently roll over as Bournemouth did especially if they are woefully under strength.

That toothy grin of bonhomie only showed after the final whistle . . . and then with more than a little gloating. Sorry Jurgen, nice guy image a tad tarnished in my eyes.

The Magpies will be defending a special record here at St James' Park come Saturday three o'clock. Since Edward John Frank Howe took over and united Newcastle they have bowed the knee only to the creme de la creme Manchester City and Liverpool on home grass . . . and the champions failed to do it a second time.

Can Palace spoil everyone's party? We sincerely hope not - beat them in the Premier League and then a couple of months hence do it again when London's southern outpost returns in the league cup with Wembley the promised land. That must be the challenge and the outcome.

Of course Palace possess potential party-poopers led by Wilfried Zaha with Ebere Eze and Michael Olise as his outriders but every PL match throws up men of ability. After a mini tour of three matches topped and tailed by the city of Liverpool with Wolverhampton in between this is an opportunity to confirm home supremacy.

Aristocrats Arsenal and Man City have seen United hit the heights in two of their last three PL home games with victory over Nottingham Forest completing the set so optimism abounds. Of course which players are available will have a huge impact on the match but then United proved at Liverpool that the pattern of play, commitment, and desire remain steadfastly written in stone whoever starts.

Victory is required, no question about that, because it has only happened once in five PL matches so may a fickle Lady Luck who turned her back on United last time out smile upon them on this occasion.

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