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Wijnaldum praises hard work as Newcastle get lucky against Liverpool

Newcastle United’s Georginio Wijnaldum has his shot deflected into the net by Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel for an own goal and the first for Newcastle.

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The German has charmed everybody since arriving in England, regardless of which club you support, and his post-match comments after Liverpool’s defeat at Newcastle have only cemented his lovable reputation even more. Yes, they did have a few good results but the reason I felt they may struggle today is that they had to play like a home team today, where they have struggled.

Moreno skilfully lifted his finish over Newcastle’s second-choice goalkeeper Robbie Elliot to seemingly score his second Premier League goal of the season.

Wijnaldum has now been involved in 56% of Newcastle’s PL goals this season (9/16), only Idion Ighalo (65%) has scored or assisted a higher share of his team’s goals.

The Magpies moved above neighbours Sunderland into 18th place in the Premier League and are in the bottom three only on goal difference. Only one other Argentinean (Carlos Tevez – 202) has bettered this milestone in the competition.

“I think we deserved a point maybe but not more because we didn’t play well enough”, he said.

Instead, McClaren handed Siem de Jong his first start of the campaign, and after a nervous start, United, embarrassingly beaten 5-1 by Crystal Palace eight days earlier, went on to get the upper hand in the second half. They have got good quality players who work very hard. “We were not compact, there was a lot of things we did not do well”.

The Dutch midfielder calmly chipped the Liverpool goalkeeper and Newcastle and Steve McClaren proved there is life in them yet.

It was the visitors who started the game strongly, forcing a series of corners without creating a clear opening, with neither keeper being seriously tested. “Hard work, then you get the luck”. Our best player has not played since the hamstring injury he picked up against Manchester City, and judging on today’s performance, we badly need him back.

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“It’s hard to win games…but we gave everything in the end and then you can be proud because there’s no regrets – and that’s what we did here”. “We are not part of this discussion, we only try to play football and sometimes it looks better, sometimes worse”.

Martin Skrtel of Liverpool deflects a cross from Georginio Wijnaldum of Newcastle United past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet of Liverpool for an own goal and Newcastle's first during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and