Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister in either half ensured Arne Slot's side capitalised on another slip-up by second-placed Arsenal to leave few inside Anfield in any doubt May - or maybe sooner - will bring a record-equalling 20th championship trophy to Merseyside.
When Diaz failed to turn in Salah's cross to the far post the Egyptian decided he was better off going it alone in his quest for a ninth successive game with a goal but such was the comfort of the situation he was indulged one or two moments of selfishness.
Slot, sat in the stands at the start of his two-match touchline ban for his Merseyside derby red card, and his senior players will not countenance such thinking but it is difficult to imagine a team which has lost just one league match this season letting their lead slip.
They had even more to cheer when Mac Allister clipped home Salah's pass, reward for the Argentina international launching the counter-attack from just inside his own half by intercepting Tonali's pass.
Certainly not playing the type of fluid football which a Newcastle side shorn of the considerable talents of Alexander Isak, nursing a groin problem, struggled to contain in a match billed as a dress rehearsal for next month's Carabao Cup final.
