LIVERPOOL, England, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike struck twice in two minutes to spark Arne Slot's side to a 4-1 comeback win over Newcastle United on Saturday for the champions' first Premier League victory in over a month.
Florian Wirtz and Ibrahima Konate scored in the second half to help Liverpool climb to fifth in the table with 39 points, 14 behind leaders Arsenal, as Newcastle fell to 10th on 33.
Newcastle started briskly and Anthony Gordon scored his first league goal in open play for more than a year in the 36th minute as the visiting fans eyed a first victory at Anfield since 1994.
The optimism was short-lived, however, as Ekitike turned the game on its head with goals in the 41st and 43rd minutes.
Ekitike scored with a stab home at the near post after Wirtz worked the ball into the box before pulling it back for the Frenchman who then latched onto a ball down the line from Milos Kerkez and poked it into the far corner to put the hosts ahead.
Wirtz struck in the 67th minute with a shot in off the far post after a one-two with Mohamed Salah and Konate, whose father died this month, scored deep into stoppage time to complete the rout.
Konate, who missed two games to attend his father's funeral, was mobbed by his teammates as he wiped away tears.
"I know that the team had some injured players, and the manager said to take my time and I don't have to rush back," Konate said. "It was important for me to come back and help the team."
Slot's team had not won a league match in their previous five attempts, but hoped their Champions League victories over the last two weeks -- including Wednesday's 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag -- could turn their league fortunes around.
"The 15 minutes before halftime, it was a great combination of the players showing what they were showing and the fans were so loud," Slot said.
"At halftime, we were all of a sudden 2-1 up and then second half we had more than enough chances to go to 3-1 earlier, but in the end 4-1 is a great win for us."
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was disappointed.
"I thought it was a strong performance. 4-1 is really hard on us," he said. "We scored a great goal, started really strongly."
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond)
