Liverpool continued the job of putting their season back on track on Monday night as the Reds put the sword to a poor Newcastle side, winning 2-0 and seeing the visitors reduced to 10 men. Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen score either side of half time, before Moussa Sissoko was sent of for two yellow cards. Liverpool moved up to 5th place, just four points behind Manchester City above them, here's five things we learned from the game.
1) Sakho is a huge loss ahead of Wembley date with Villa.
Mamadou Sakho was the key name missing from Liverpool's team against Newcastle, the centre back leaving a rather large sized hole after picking up a hamstring injury in the victory over Blackburn. It has been confirmed that Sakho will be out for three to four weeks, meaning the Reds will be without him against an inform Christian Benteke when they face Aston Villa in the FA Cup Semi Final on Sunday. Granted, Liverpool kept a clean sheet against Newcastle as Croatian Dejan Lovren stepped up in his place, but Lovren pales in comparison. Newcastle were sporadic attackers at Anfield, making for a comfortable night for Emre Can and Lovren, but mistakes were made when the Magpies did streak foward. With the first half drawing to a close, Lovren dangled a leg in front of Ayoze Perez inside the area, getting off luckily as referee Lee Mason incorrectly failed to award Newcastle a penalty, which would have handed the away side a chance to equalise. Whether Rodgers sticks with Lovren when Martin Skrtel returns from suspension against Villa is another matter, but Liverpool will be hoping to get their shining defender back from injury as soon as possible.
2) Top four hopes are back (for the optimists).
Ah yes, it's that phrase again. The top four. And to be frank, most people are probably tired of hearing it. After working so hard to drag themselves back into contention for one of those elusive Champions League places, consecutive losses to Manchester United and Arsenal had seemed to bring dreams of a second straight season in Europe's elite competition crashing down. But just as any hope had gone, it's back. Liverpool's return to winning ways has coupled with a downturn in form for current Barclays Premier Leauge Champions Manchester City, who have been on the receiving end of back to back losses against Crystal Palace and Manchester United, allowing Liverpool to close the gap on the Citizens to just four points after Monday's win. City have the easier run in and a points advantage, but some people will say that you just never know. For a closer look at Liverpool's top four hopes, have a read of this.
3) Lucas is growing in importance by the game.
When Lucas Leiva was injured in February, it looked like the Brazilian's problems might have come just at the wrong time as he was forced out of action just as he was nailing down a regular place as a key part of Liverpool's midfield, with some thinking that he would struggle to make the same impact upon returning to the side. They couldn't have been proved more wrong against Newcastle, as Lucas churned out a superb display in defensive midfield, breaking up every counter attack from the visitors before it could even begin. This is expected from a defensive midfielder, but still impressive as he made 10 tackles, more than any other Premier League player in this matchday. However, it was his passing that really capped off a fine performance, as he completed 76 passes during the game, the highest amount of any player in the league over the weekend. Not just simple five yard balls either, some lovely intrecate passes in behind the defence were shown off as the midfielder seemingly adds another dimension to his game. A little known fact is that he was an attacking midfielder when originally signed to the club by Rafa Benitez in 2007, which could be where his passing attributes stem from. Either way, the transformation shown since he was on the verge of a January move has been almost as exceptional as Simon Mignolet's, and here's hoping it continues.
4) Philippe Coutinho was outstanding once more.
In a week where Chelsea captain John Terry announced the midfielder as his nomination for PFA Player of the Year, Philippe Coutinho delivered another masterclass, running the show from start to finish. Deployed in a Lionel Messi style False Nine role in the absence of Daniel Sturridge, Coutinho's dribbling, movement, passing range and trickery was a constant threat all night to a deep Newcastle defence. Opposition fans often use Coutinho's goals and assists statistics as a stick to beat him with when comparing him to other players, but credit must go to the playmaker for the progress he is making in those areas. Even to a casual observer of Liverpool, it is obvious to see the change in Liverpool's attacking play when he is on the pitch, as Coutinho's sensational talent opens up doors for players around him, getting the Reds going. Much like Luis Suarez was last season, Coutinho now looks like the Reds' go-to man, and they'll be looking to keep hold of the marauding midfielder for some time yet.
5) Confidence is up as Reds' head for cup semi.
The two wins and two clean sheets against Blackburn and Newcastle couldn't have come at a better time for Liverpool as they finalise preparations for Sunday's FA Cup Semi Final against Aston Villa. The Reds are looking to reach their first final in three years, as they attempt to repeat 2006's FA Cup heroics by winning the FA Cup for the eighth time in the club's history. Aston Villa are in good form under new manager Tim Sherwood and will without doubt prove to be a big test, especially given their good record against Liverpool in recent years. Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers will be encouraged by the impeccable pitch on offer at the National stadium, as they compete for the right to face either Arsenal or Reading in the final, which is held on the same day as Steven Gerrard's birthday, in what could be the legendary midfielder's final game for his boyhood club.