What is it about these two clubs meeting at St. James' Park?
Darwin Nunez's unforgettable winning brace. A thrilling 3-3 draw last season. And now, Liverpool have triumphed once more on this intimidating ground, thanks to an incredible stoppage-time goal from a 16-year-old—despite a shockingly poor defensive display.
This contest truly featured incredible highs and miserable lows from a Liverpool perspective; so what are the three biggest takeaways from the match from a Liverpool perspective?
1. Dominik Szoboszlai's versatility will be a valuable asset this season
Ahead of the match, Liverpool faced a dilemma at right back. With Jeremie Frimpong sidelined through injury and both Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez still working their way back to full fitness, Arne Slot had little choice but to deploy Dominik Szoboszlai in the role.
Though the Hungarian had picked up a few reps there in preseason, it remains far from his natural position.
Yet when it mattered most, Szobo rose to the occasion and delivered a fantastic performance.
Liverpool’s No. 8 turned in a Man of the Match display at St. James’ Park, combining defensive grit with composure on the ball.
He made four crucial clearances, kept the lightning-quick Harvey Barnes quiet on the flank, and capped it off with an assured 89% pass completion rate.
Szoboszlai may not have registered a goal or assist against the Magpies, but he produced one of the defining moments of the match.
His clever dummy on Mohamed Salah’s cross freed the ball for 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who slotted home an instantly iconic winner in the 100th minute to snatch victory for the Reds.
Liverpool’s midfield may be crowded with the likes of Florian Wirtz, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch all vying for minutes, but Szoboszlai showed his worth once again.
Equally composed when filling in at the back and when pushing higher up in his natural attacking role later in the match, Szobo is proving that his blend of creativity and versatility will be an invaluable asset for Arne Slot.
2. Liverpool’s new signings have inversely met my expectations
When I first wrote about Hugo Ekitike’s arrival at Liverpool, I anticipated it would take time for the Frenchman to settle into his role as the Reds’ No. 9, while I expected Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez to make an immediate impact. In reality, the opposite has proven true.
Ekitike has been nothing short of electric since arriving at Anfield, finding the net in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, scoring and providing an assist in the season opener versus Bournemouth, and needing just 25 seconds after the restart against Newcastle to smash one past Nick Pope for Liverpool’s second goal.
Three games, three goals—an emphatic way to announce himself in Red.
What makes his start even more encouraging is that Arne Slot has been careful in easing Ekitike into the squad.
The striker was taken off in the 72nd minute against Bournemouth and the 80th minute at St. James’ Park, a sign that he’s still building full match sharpness.
As he continues to adapt to the physicality and pace of the Premier League, Hugo should only grow fitter and feature deeper into games.
Meanwhile, Wirtz and Kerkez are still searching for breakthrough moments to truly announce themselves in a Liverpool shirt.
Wirtz was subdued once again against Newcastle, failing to register a single key pass and unable to showcase the dribbling flair and creativity that made him one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting young stars.
While Wirtz’s slow start can at least be chalked up to the natural growing pains of adapting to English football, Kerkez’s struggles have been even more frustrating.
The Hungarian has already proven he can thrive in the Premier League, having recently earned a spot in the 2025–26 PFA Team of the Year for his standout season with Bournemouth; but, he was caught ball-watching on Newcastle’s opener, and while he’s typically valued for his attacking instincts, he’s offered little going forward as well—registering 0.0 expected assists in each of Liverpool’s first two matches.
This isn’t to say I’ve given up on Wirtz and Kerkez—both are more than capable of breaking through soon—but it’s hard not to be surprised by how quickly Ekitike has made an impact, leaving the other two likely feeling the pressure to elevate their performances.
3. Liverpool won't win the Premier League if the defense doesn't improve
Has Ibrahima Konaté already begun dreaming about being a Real Madrid player?
After uncharacteristically poor performances vs. Palace and Bournemouth, Konaté delivered an even worse one against Newcastle, recording just a single tackle and zero interceptions vs. the Magpies.
His careless giveaway to Sandro Tonali in the 31st minute nearly handed Newcastle the opener, though Ryan Gravenberch’s thunderous strike helped some forget the mistake.
But right after halftime, the Frenchman was lucky to escape a booking for a shove on the back of Harvey Barnes—yet another error in a night to forget.
But the blame doesn’t rest solely on Konaté. While Liverpool’s vulnerability against Bournemouth stemmed from conceding twice on the counterattack, both of Newcastle’s goals—scored despite being down to 10 men—came from long, dangerous balls into and around the Reds’ box.
This shows that opponents aren’t just targeting one weakness in Liverpool’s backline; they’re discovering multiple ways to exploit gaps across the entire defensive unit.
While I was excited about Liverpool signing the promising 18-year-old center-back Giovanni Leoni, his youth makes it unrealistic to expect him to slot straight into the back four.
Rumors of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi joining Merseyside have already stirred among fans, and with the transfer deadline fast approaching, the club should be doing everything possible to secure a proven defensive reinforcement like Guehi.
It might seem bold to say this with Liverpool having claimed all six points to start the season, but with Arsenal coming to Anfield on Sunday, any lapse in the Reds’ defense could allow the Gunners’ potent attacking lineup to exploit the backline once again.