A late Dominik Szoboszlai penalty salvaged a point for Andoni Iraola’s side in a thrilling 2-2 draw. The result extended Liverpool’s unbeaten run on the opening day of the Premier League, with the last time the Reds tasted defeat in Gameweek 1 coming in 2012, when they lost 3-0 to West Brom.
It was not the best of starts for the away side. Five minutes in, Elanga opened the scoring, capitalising on Ryan Gravenberch losing the ball high up the pitch. A fantastic finish from outside the box by Cody Gakpo levelled the score 10 minutes into the second half.
Déjà vu struck Liverpool three minutes later as Newcastle once again displayed a wonderful counter-attack after winning the ball off Gravenberch. Substitute Joe Willock finished the move to send St James’ Park into a frenzy.
The drama did not end there, though. New signing Victor Muñoz was brought down by Lewis Hall in the box in the final seconds of the game. The spot-kick was dispatched brilliantly by Szoboszlai to earn the Reds a point on the road.
A performance that highlighted a few areas Liverpool need to improve in, but with the transfer window still open there is still plenty of time for the club to address those issues in the market.
" I think it's just not personnel. I understand, you are telling me basically that Ryan Gravenberch is the six and he is on the edge of the box, but if he shoots and he scores we are saying what a play from Ryan Gravenberch. I also don't want to take this from his game, but we have to adapt as a team to these situations and we have to know that these situations can happen.
I think the second goal probably we did better in terms of having the numbers to defend, we don't make the foul, go to the first challenge, probably reduce the distance with the ball carrier, so it's an incredible goal. Situations [are] just not because one person is playing there, [it] is something that we have to correct between a lot of players."
A big talking point from that game was Liverpool's defence when the opposition is on the counter, both goals today came from the Reds loosing the ball high up the pitch and not being able to deal with the transition.
With Gravenberch pushing so high up the pitch, it leaves the two centre backs exposed when tracking back. Blame can also be shared between the two centre halves on the opening goal, neither of the two stepped up and engaged with the attacker. A massive part of the new managers system is the defenders winning the ball high up the pitch, the game today highlighted the repercussions of not doing that.
With the season just starting it is understandable that time is needed for these players to adapt into the side Iraola wants them to be.
"It's not a big surprise [when] you face Newcastle, one of the fastest top lines in the league probably in terms of speed I think. There are different reasons why we conceded both goals, even though both are transitions. The first one I think we should just finish the play. I think we created a great chance. I think it's a four-v-three, we are on the edge of the box and it's a clear situation to shoot. We decide not to shoot, we don't finish it properly and then you have to give credit to Elanga, who wins the race.
Second one, I think we had the numbers to defend it better. It's not like they caught us by surprise. First one, you can argue with this [but] second one we had numbers, but we don't defend it properly. We should compete for the first ball, probably even make a foul, be a little bit more aggressive against the ball carrier because we had numbers to defend it."
A draw at St James' Park will still be looked at as a good result for Andoni Iraola, but nobody should be surprised at the outcome. The Basque manager has never lost on this ground, a very impressive record at a stadium that is known for being difficult for away sides.
Victor Munoz will get a lot of praise from his brief cameo, coming on and winning the penalty was a glimpse of what the Spanish winger may bring to Merseyside this season.
With Nottingham Forrest at Anfield up next for the Reds, Iraola will feel like it is a great opportunity for him to get his first Premier League victory as Liverpool manager.
"I think it's difficult because they told me probably the stats are for us in terms of we've created more and [had] better chances and this. But it's true that they can say, 'OK, we were winning, so we didn't need to push, we were defending our result.' I've liked a lot of things about the team in terms of putting pressure [on]. I think [in] the first half we haven't finished the things – we've had a lot of balls on the edge of the box, inside the box, where we haven't finished the play, we haven't shot.
Actually, they punished us in the first goal because we don't finish it and it's a clear chance. I think [in the] second half we've been more decisive – I think [in] the goal from Cody but also we put a lot more pressure [on], we create more set-plays, more crosses, more things inside the box. I think it's a reward. It's not a lot, one point, but at least it's something that is deserved."
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