Dominik Szoboszlai looked as calm as could be when he stepped up in the 99th minute at St James’ Park, with the Liverpool midfielder confidently dispatching a penalty into the top corner to rescue a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United.
The pressure of the occasion appeared to have little effect on one of the three new Liverpool vice-captains. In fact, he admitted he was so immersed in the moment that he did not even hear the referee’s whistle.
The final strike was a fitting response to an extraordinary evening on Tyneside. With the home crowd creating an intimidating atmosphere and Liverpool trailing 2-1 deep into stoppage time, Szoboszlai showed no hesitation from 12 yards.
The midfielder buried the penalty into the top corner, producing arguably the calmest moment of a chaotic night.
And rather than focusing on the disappointment of dropping points, Szoboszlai was keen to look at the bigger picture.
“Take the positivity of the game. First game of the season. We move on.”
“That’s why I love football”
Szoboszlai’s composure was particularly striking given the circumstances surrounding the penalty.
Newcastle’s atmosphere was amplified by the occasion, including an emotional tribute to Kevin Keegan, while Liverpool had spent much of the evening dedicated to breaking down a formidable low block at one of the Premier League’s most hostile away grounds.
Yet Szoboszlai appeared to thrive on it.
“That’s why I love football,” he said, embracing the pressure rather than allowing it to overwhelm him.
He also acknowledged the difficulty of the fixture, praising Newcastle’s supporters and the quality of the Magpies despite being in the midst of a transitional period themselves under new manager Matthias Jaissle.
“Obviously to come here is always a tough game. Away in Newcastle. The fans are unbelievable, a great team, a good manager. He showed himself in many other clubs.”
For Szoboszlai, however, the draw also provided an early glimpse of what Liverpool must develop under new manager Andoni Iraola.
“With the new manager as well we need to get even closer to each other,” he explained. “We need to know what’s going on during the game.”
Szoboszlai sees positives from Liverpool’s fightback
While Van Dijk’s post-match assessment focused heavily on the defensive work still required, Szoboszlai offered a considerably more optimistic interpretation of Liverpool’s opening-day performance.
The Hungary international believed Liverpool could have won the game, but accepted that Newcastle’s threat on the counter ultimately made that difficult.
“I think we were able to win, but yeah, that’s football. You don’t win easy in the Premier League.”
“They were a good team, scored two transition goals. These are the things we need to be aware of.”
Perhaps the biggest lesson Szoboszlai took from Iraola’s first competitive match was Liverpool’s refusal to surrender.
“We will never give up. We have to fight every time, all day long, during the 90 minutes.”
That mentality was embodied by Liverpool’s newest attacking arrival, Victor Muñoz, who made his Premier League debut and with a few touches, won the penalty which Szoboszlai converted.
“Victor, first minutes in the Premier League and won a penalty already,” Szoboszlai said. “We need the whole squad and we have to be ready.”
For a team beginning a new era under Iraola, Szoboszlai’s reaction offered an encouraging message. Liverpool may still have plenty to refine tactically and defensively, but their midfielder’s composure under immense pressure, and his insistence that they “never give up”, could prove equally important as the season develops.
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