Szoboszlai Saves Liverpool's Blushes With Crucial Strike Against Newcastle On Tyneside

Dominik Szoboszlai's stoppage-time penalty rescued the Andoni Iraola era from a losing start, as Liverpool and Newcastle United shared the spoils in a thrilling 2–2 Premier League stalemate.

There was an air of anxiety at St. James' Park for the Magpies' season opener, with uncertainty hanging over a club that has undergone significant squad changes and moved on from long-serving manager Eddie Howe.

Yet it took barely five minutes for that apprehension to turn to delight, courtesy of Anthony Elanga's maiden Premier League goal in Newcastle colours. The Swede capped a lightning-fast counter-attack, having gone without a league goal across 1,312 minutes the previous campaign.

Iraola's Reds found their footing and earned a deserved leveller through Cody Gakpo just 10 minutes into the second half. A Liverpool comeback looked to be on the cards, but Newcastle, galvanised by the unstoppable Yoane Wissa, struck again. Joe Willock's strike put them back in front, and they appeared set to hold on until the very final moments.

This fixture has a history of late twists, and on the occasion both clubs honoured the memory of the late Kevin Keegan, it was only fitting that Liverpool grabbed their point deep into nine minutes of added time.

There were no dugout railings for Matthias Jaissle to lean on as Dominik Szoboszlai thundered home a penalty to salvage a point for the Reds, but Newcastle's new head coach will have taken plenty of encouragement from his side's determined and composed display.

One Thing We Can't Ignore

Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth were relentless counter-pressers whenever they lost the ball, regularly snuffing out opposition transitions before they could develop.

However, his Liverpool side were caught out twice in defensive transition, exposing vulnerabilities in their shape at the outset of the new manager's reign. It will take time for the Reds to rediscover their defensive intensity, reminiscent of Jürgen Klopp's high-octane pressing game.

Newcastle's opener stemmed from Liverpool's midfield being positioned too far forward, with a centre-back failing to step up and challenge William Osula, who received the ball in his own half and was given the freedom to advance before threading through to Elanga.

They were better organised for the second goal, but Yoane Wissa had different plans. His determination and clever movement to beat the counter-press was exceptional, and Joe Willock's run and finish was equally impressive.

These issues are likely to be ironed out once Iraola's squad are fully up to speed and have attained the fitness levels their demanding manager demands. Nevertheless, questions remain over whether Liverpool should pursue a dedicated defensive midfielder before the transfer window closes.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Newcastle (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Alisson—5.9: He wasn't tested heavily, but Alisson's positioning for Newcastle's opening goal left a lot to be desired.

RB: Jeremie Frimpong—6.7: His energy along the right flank was undeniable, with Frimpong constantly driving forward. That said, the Dutchman repeatedly failed to deliver the decisive final action when presented with good opportunities.

CB: Jérémy Jacquet—7.0: His workload is being carefully managed early in his Liverpool career, so he featured for only two-thirds of the match. Jacquet's passing was sharp, though dealing with the rangy Osula was no straightforward task.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—7.1: Van Dijk also found Newcastle's pacey attackers a handful, even without much cover from the midfield ahead of him.

LB: Milos Kerkez—6.4: He's far from the first, and won't be the last, to lose a footrace with Elanga. Still, Kerkez's display was worrying as it mirrored his struggles from last season — frantic in nature, and he picked up a yellow card before the break.

CM: Ryan Gravenberch—7.3: Produced several first touches that drew admiration, yet the overall performance lacked real impact, despite his role in setting up Gakpo's equaliser.

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai—8.0: What a penalty to take in the dying moments.

RW: Rio Ngumoha—6.4: There were a few neat dribbles, but the Liverpool youngster didn't make a significant impression on his debut as Mohamed Salah's apparent successor.

AM: Florian Wirtz—7.1: Liverpool fans have seen this kind of understated Wirtz display before, and if such anonymity continues, a spell on the bench may not be far away.

LW: Cody Gakpo—8.3: Unquestionably Liverpool's most dangerous player on Tyneside. His goal was expertly taken, and despite wasting a chance or two, Gakpo consistently looked the most capable of creating something meaningful.

ST: Alexander Isak—6.7: Isak's return to St. James' Park following his record move was met with hostility. The jeers from the Toon Army grew louder as the game wore on, and the Swede struggled to impose himself.

SUB: Alexis Mac Allister (63' for Ngumoha)—6.5: Few would argue that the somewhat limited Argentine is the answer to Liverpool's problems in defensive transition.

SUB: Víctor Muñoz (63' for Ngumoha)—6.7: Made a lively impact from the bench and won the foul from Lewis Hall that led to Liverpool's match-saving penalty.

SUB: Ronald Araújo (70' for Jacquet)—6.5: Made an immediate impression, producing a well-timed tackle to halt another Newcastle surge.

SUB: Lewis Koumas (78' for Gravenberch)—6.3: A neat enough contribution from the young substitute.

Subs not used: Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Wataru Endo, James McConnell, Kostas Tsimikas, Trey Nyoni.

What These Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Liverpool's Tyneside Toil