Simon Grayson
Ex-Sunderland manager on BBC Radio 5 live

There's been a lot of effort from both teams without any real quality. Neither team has managed to get around the 18 yard box and get an attempt on goal. Curtis Jones didn't do much first half, he's having a bit more influence in this second half but there have been a lot of key battles in the midfield area.

Just not a lot going on around the 18 yard box.

Mo Salah is set free down the right and cuts inside onto his left foot before curling a shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Liverpool are getting closer.

Liverpool play a quick free-kick which sets up Andy Robertson to send in a cross, but it's a Newcastle head which gets to it first.

James Milner becomes the latest player to receive a booking as his foul stops Newcastle from breaking forward.

Is this beginning to feel like West Brom all over again, Liverpool fans?

No shots on target to shout about after 15 second-half minutes.

Sadio Mane's header is the closest either side has come to scoring since the restart.

In fact, that's the only shot of any kind since the interval.

Newcastle are able to get out of their own half, but Isaac Hayden's cross from deep is easily caught by Alisson and Liverpool will build again.

The Magpies certainly aren't offering as much of a threat as they did in the first half.

Newcastle are working very hard to keep Liverpool out here.

Liverpool certainly appear to have the fresher legs in this second half. Can Steve Bruce's side keep this up? It's been an impressive display so far and still there's no way through for the visitors.

Goal? No!

Sadio Mane meets a cross from the right and his header ripples the side-netting.

He's inches away from the opener.

A good spell for Newcastle but Liverpool break through Mo Salah.

Salah's pass left to Roberto Firmino disrupts his team-mate's stride however, and Newcastle are able to recover and quickly get into their shape once more.

Chance wasted, but Newcastle earn another free-kick over on the left as Sadio Mane collides with Matthew Longstaff.

It's not used any better than the first one.

A scrappy start to the second half as Liverpool look to assert themselves but Newcastle refuse to comply.

Fabinho receives a yellow card as he blocks DeAndre Yedlin's run.

A chance to send a free-kick into the Liverpool box now...

I'm sure Steve Bruce will have said more than simply "do that again" to his players at half-time.

But that will very much be the general message.

A five-point advantage at the top of the table offers plenty of motivation to Liverpool to increase the quality.

Away we go again!

Three key saves by Karl Darlow in that first half have given Newcastle every chance of taking something from this game.

This was probably the best of the lot to prevent Mo Salah finding the bottom corner.

Image source, Getty Images

If things were all nice and normal, I'd bring you some reaction to the earlier Premier League game right now.

Instead, there's this.

Jose Mourinho didn't seem too impressed by the situation his side found themselves in today, as they awaited news on whether their game with Fulham would be going ahead.

The Spurs boss said on Instagram shortly after 14:00 GMT this afternoon: "Match at 6 pm... We still don’t know if we play. Best league in the world."

It looked comfy at least.

James Milner has had 50% of Liverpool's shots so far (2/4)

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool have dominated the possession, as Manchester City did against Newcastle at the weekend.

But Steve Bruce's side, with six shots to Liverpool's four, have had some great opportunities to open the scoring.

They'll need to be much more clinical if they're to win this though - just one of the hosts' shots have found the target.

Image source, Getty Images