Criticised recently for a lack of attacking edge, Slot's side produced their sharpest display of 2026 at Anfield, overwhelming Newcastle with pace, movement and confidence after falling behind early. The result ended a five-game league winless run and moved Liverpool above Manchester United, to within a point of Chelsea in fourth.
Anthony Gordon briefly threatened to spoil the party by firing Newcastle ahead - his first goal from open play in a year - but Liverpool's response was immediate and emphatic. With Florian Wirtz pulling the strings, the hosts seized control before half-time through a blistering two-goal burst from Ekitike.
Wirtz danced through a cluster of defenders to tee up the French striker for the equaliser, before Ekitike struck again moments later, collecting Milos Kerkez's pass and finishing ruthlessly across Nick Pope. It was a reminder of exactly what Newcastle missed out on after failing to land the former Eintracht Frankfurt forward across multiple transfer windows.
Newcastle, already stretched after a draining midweek trip to Paris Saint-Germain and missing the injured Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, struggled to match Liverpool's tempo. That imbalance grew after the break as Mohamed Salah and Wirtz combined neatly for a third goal that effectively ended the contest.
An emotional finale followed when Ibrahima Konate, starting for the first time since returning from compassionate leave following the death of his father, added a fourth from close range late on. The defender's tearful celebration underlined the significance of the night for both player and club.
For Slot, the performance offered timely proof that Liverpool's attacking identity remains intact, with Ekitike and Wirtz now emerging as one of the league's most productive partnerships. For Newcastle, who have not won a league match at Anfield since 1994, the defeat saw them slip to 10th and extended their troubling form away from home.
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal "said something" about their title credentials after a ruthless 4-0 victory over Leeds at Elland Road ended a testing run of Premier League results.
Arne Slot has urged Liverpool to cut out mistakes as they prepare for a decisive Premier League clash with Newcastle United, with the Reds boss admitting the race for the top four has reached a critical stage.
Arsenal have secured the long-term future of teenage star Max Dowman, with the attacker signing a pre-agreement to turn professional when he turns 17 on 31 December.
Fulham have boosted their attacking ranks by signing Norway winger Oscar Bobb from Manchester City for 27 million pounds, with the 22-year-old agreeing to a five-and-a-half-year contract at Craven Cottage.
