Marseille v Liverpool live: Impressive Reds on course for Champions League last 16 after key win

And the report from a narrow Chelsea win, with Kieran Jackson witnessing the action at Stamford Bridge...

For Liam Rosenior, his first-ever Champions League night concluded with an overwhelming sense of relief. On paper, this was as comfortable a European game as they come: Cypriot side Pafos, at home, with the carrot of a top-eight berth tantalisingly close. The reality, however, was an evening of overwhelming frustration. Ultimately, the Blues just crept over the line but, at this stage, three points were all that mattered.

Moises Caicedo, absent a week ago against Arsenal, has been Chelsea’s standout player this season and has added crucial goals to his bombastic midfield repertoire. Here, with just 12 minutes left, the Ecuadorian was the man on hand to head home at the back post from a Pedro Neto corner. Less all-out celebrations on the touchline and in the terraces, more sighs of liberation and relaxation.

The report from Newcastle’s win tonight, courtesy of Richard Jolly...

It is a shootout at the Parc des Princes against the European champions and if the scenario can sound impossibly glamorous for Newcastle, it has the potential to bring a second dose of cruelty in the French capital.

For now, the team eighth in the Premier League occupy a higher position in the Champions League. They could be forgiven for wishing the league phase only lasted seven games, that the table could be frozen now.

As it is, it speaks to progress. A third straight Champions League win at St James’ Park came courtesy of Yoane Wissa’s best night in black and white, with the latest proof Anthony Gordon is prolific in Europe, if not England, and further evidence Harvey Barnes is excellent in each. PSV Eindhoven, demolishers of Napoli and Liverpool, were brushed aside. Newcastle, who began the evening 13th, ended it seventh.

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard claimed Reds boss Arne Slot “needs to stop mentioning low blocks” after the Dutchman blamed his side’s inconsistency on matches where teams sit deep.

Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners over Marseille at the Stade Velodrome on Wednesday evening as Slot’s side successfully navigated a potentially tricky away fixture, with the Liverpool boss praising his side after the win.

However, when asked what the key factor is to going on a consistent run of winning matches, the 47-year-old replied: “I know why we’re not consistent and that is mainly to do when a game is open, it is completely different than playing against a low block.

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai hasd this to say on his free-kick:

“I did my homework and got told that if no one is lying down, then I can hit it under the wall. I tried it and it worked out.”

Here’s Arne Slot with some interesting comments on his side facing low blocks:

"I know why we're not consistent and that is mainly to do when a game is open, it is completely different than playing against a low block.

“In a low block, it has not so much to do with what you prepared before the game, you just have the ball a lot, you get in the final third and something should happen.

“You cannot compare that with the game tonight when both teams want to press and play out from the back. If we're inconsistent, it's because we struggle with low blocks,” he added

On potentially avoiding play-offs, he explained: "People can see what a squad we have. We have three players out with injuries and we already don't have the size of squad that our competitors have, so it's important we don't play these games."

Here’s what Liverpool boss Arne Slot had to say after full-time:

"It could have been a tricky place to go and it is because of their fans but also because of their players and manager. We had to be very good today and we were. We should have done better in the counter-attack.

“We were very positive on the ball. We scored three and everyone will be more positive than when we create five chances but score one,” he explained.

"In the last 13 games unbeaten, we've only been 54 minutes behind. We had many earlier chances to win it today. Today, we probably deserve what we got. We weren't unlucky like we've been so many times this season.

Here’s how the top eight of the Champions League table looks ahead of the final week of action then:

Liverpool’s next match comes against Bournemouth this weekend, as they travel south to face the Cherries on Saturday, 24 January. That one kicks off at 5.30pm.

Their final Champions league match comes next week, as they face Qarabag a week today.