Liverpool returned to winning ways against Newcastle United at Anfield on 18 November 1972, although a two-goal second-half lead did not produce a comfortable finish. Malcolm Macdonald brought Newcastle back into the match, and Tommy Smith missed a penalty before the league leaders secured a 3–2 victory.
Peter Cormack opened the scoring after five minutes. John Tudor equalised in the twenty-seventh, but Alec Lindsay restored Liverpool’s advantage before half-time, scoring from Smith’s assist.
John Toshack then made it 3–1 three minutes after the restart, with Chris Lawler credited with the final pass. Macdonald’s reply in the sixty-sixth minute reduced the margin to one. Smith had the opportunity to restore Liverpool’s cushion five minutes later, but his penalty did not add to the score.
Liverpool nevertheless kept Newcastle from equalising again. Toshack’s early second-half goal proved sufficient, giving Bill Shankly’s side an immediate league response to their 2–0 defeat at Manchester United the previous Saturday.
That setback had interrupted a run of league results stretching back to September without defeat. Newcastle’s visit began another productive sequence: Liverpool would win their next league game at Tottenham and then beat Birmingham City at Anfield, collecting the full six points from those three matches.
The afternoon also came at the end of an important week for two of Liverpool’s younger established players. Ray Clemence and Kevin Keegan had made their England debuts against Wales on 15 November. Both were back in the starting side here, but the goals came from Cormack, Lindsay and Toshack.
Liverpool’s championship challenge was not sustained only by their most prominent scorer. Keegan would finish level with Toshack on thirteen league goals, while this victory required contributions from a midfielder and a full-back before the centre-forward supplied the decisive third.
Newcastle had answered twice, but Liverpool finished with both points and remained top of the table.