Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

The Reds went down 2-1 to Newcastle United at Wembley in their final match before the international break.

The runaway Premier League leaders were far from at their best and could have had no complaints after England new boy Dan Burn and Sweden star Alexander Isak put Newcastle into a commanding two-goal lead.

Article continues below

There appeared no way back for the out-of-sorts Reds until Federico Chiesa, one of their few bright sparks, collected a pass from fellow substitute Harvey Elliott and slotted past Nick Pope to halve the deficit in injury-time.



READ MORE:Alexis Mac Allister silences Raphinha after X-rated outburst as Liverpool star banned after goalREAD MORE:Trent Alexander-Arnold harshest Liverpool criticism could hurt most - but pundits haven't helped

The goal was originally flagged for offside.

And even though replays soon showed it was onside, it took a lengthy VAR check for the initial decision to be overturned.

And that suited Newcastle, says former Premier League referee Clattenburg.

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate brought to you by Sky Bet, the Magpies fan said: "I’ll always say it (VAR) is killing the emotion of the game.

"That Liverpool player (Federico Chiesa) should be allowed to celebrate his goal, even though he doesn’t really want to celebrate because he wants to get the ball back to the halfway line.

"That critical moment suited Newcastle, in a way.

It was probably benefitting Newcastle, not Liverpool."

Federico Chiesa waits to see if his goal for Liverpool against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final will stand(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

The Reds will look to bounce back when they welcome Everton to Anfield for the final Merseyside derby of the season on April 2.

Victory will move Arne Slot's side a big step closer to the club's first Premier League since 2020.

Clattenburg, meanwhile, spoke about a run-in he had with Slot's successor as Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

It came in April 2014, when Klopp was in charge of Borussia Dortmund and they had lost 3-0 to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Clattenburg, who referred the match, said: "I had a big run-in with Jurgen, and I was lucky because it was at Real Madrid, and he was the Dortmund manager, and they’d just been beaten 3-0.

“I thought I had a good game.

Everybody laughed, you know what I mean, but I was pleased I was in Real Madrid and not Dortmund, because I would have had to get out of Dortmund alive."


For more news relating to Newcastle United, visit our sister site NUFC Latest Live.