Szoboszlai Rescues Liverpool in Newcastle Thriller

Szoboszlai Rescues Liverpool in Newcastle Thriller

Dominik Szoboszlai scored a dramatic stoppage-time penalty as Liverpool fought back to earn a draw against Newcastle United at St James' Park.

Newcastle appeared on course for victory in Matthias Jaissle's first match as manager after goals from Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock, with Cody Gakpo briefly equalising for Liverpool after the break.

But with seconds remaining, Lewis Hall brought down Victor Munoz inside the penalty area.

Szoboszlai stepped up and emphatically fired the resulting spot-kick into the roof of the net to rescue a point for the visitors.

The late drama followed an emotional build-up as supporters from both clubs paid tribute to Kevin Keegan, who died last month aged 75.

A huge "King Kev" tifo was displayed in the stands, while a mosaic of shirts left outside the stadium was placed in the centre circle. A minute's applause was also held before kick-off.

Newcastle made the stronger start and took the lead when William Osula released Elanga, who calmly found the far corner for his first goal for the club.

Liverpool responded after half-time through Gakpo, whose accurate long-range effort beat goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek.

However, the scores were level for only two minutes before substitute Willock restored Newcastle's advantage with a clinical finish into the bottom corner.

Newcastle had an opportunity to put the game beyond Liverpool late on when Yoane Wissa raced through on goal, but his effort was saved by Alisson.

That miss proved costly when Hall's late challenge handed Liverpool one final opportunity, and Szoboszlai made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Encouraging Signs for Jaissle's Newcastle

The manner of the draw will be difficult for Newcastle to accept, but there were several positives for Jaissle in his first competitive game in charge.

The Magpies underwent significant changes during the summer, with Eddie Howe departing and key midfielders Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali leaving for Arsenal and Tottenham respectively.

Despite those departures, Newcastle displayed the high-intensity pressing style associated with Jaissle and caused Liverpool problems with the speed of their attack.

Elanga was particularly impressive, combining well with Osula and showing greater composure in front of goal than he managed last season.

Liverpool Show Fight but Concerns Remain

Liverpool deserve credit for battling until the final whistle, but their performance also highlighted areas that may concern manager Andoni Iraola.

Despite enjoying 60% possession and registering 27 attempts, the Reds struggled to turn their dominance into clear-cut opportunities.

Full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez endured difficult games, while Alexander Isak had a quiet return to St James' Park following his £125m move from Newcastle to Liverpool last September.

Gakpo was Liverpool's biggest attacking threat, although his future remains uncertain amid reported interest from Tottenham.

With the transfer deadline approaching, Liverpool's remaining business could prove crucial as Iraola looks to strengthen his squad for the season ahead.

TAGS

  • Football
  • Statistics
  • Dominik Szoboszlai
  • Liverpool
  • Newcastle United
  • Premier League
Written by

Shante

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