Fabian Schar celebrates and, inset, Newcastle United players remonstrate with referee Andy Madley
Fabian Schar celebrates and, inset, Newcastle United players remonstrate with referee Andy Madley
Newcastle United have become just the third side to get a result against Liverpool this season following a thrilling 3-3 draw against the league leaders.
Newcastle went into half-time 1-0 up after Alexander Isak's superb strike from distance but Curtis Jones levelled it up shortly after the break with a close-range volley. Anthony Gordon fired Newcastle back in front after the hour mark but a double from Mohamed Salah put Liverpool on course for all three points until Fabian Schar scored a dramatic 90th-minute equaliser.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Newcastle show their mettle
If Newcastle could not beat West Ham or Crystal Palace, what chance would the Magpies have against Liverpool? The league leaders were nine points clear at the top. Liverpool had defeated both the reigning European and Premier League champions in the space of five days without conceding a single goal last week. The visitors had only suffered one defeat this season.
However, in a strange sort of way, this was just the game Newcastle needed. As Eddie Howe said himself: "If we have to motivate the players for this game, there's something wrong."
Newcastle may not have defeated the league leaders in nine years, but the black-and-whites have found a way to get results in these sorts of matches at St James' - defeating Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs and taking a point against Manchester City before the champions' subsequent collapse - and Howe's side put in another spirited showing here.
Newcastle twice led at St James' and the hosts did not know when they were beaten - even when Liverpool went in front in the 83rd minute. There was still time for another twist in this topsy turvy game and, sure enough, Fabian Schar turned in Bruno Guimaraes' free-kick at the back post right in front of the Gallowgate End to send St James' into raptures. Newcastle have now claimed nine points from losing positions this season - only two sides have picked up more.
Liverpool players could not believe it (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
St James' roars into life as Newcastle denied counter
Wor Flags had been set to pay tribute to Kevin Keegan, a favourite of both clubs, but the fan group 'felt the timing called for something different'. "It’s clear that our message needs to be for the current group and to try to help create a massive atmosphere on Wednesday night," a spokesman said.
The fan group instead quoted Eddie Howe with one particular banner in the East Stand reading: 'Get into them!' That's just what Newcastle did. This was more like it.
There were just two minutes on the clock when Sandro Tonali forced Caoimhin Kelleher into action with a curling effort from the edge of the area. It was a signal of intent and, without the ball, Newcastle pressed and harried Liverpool, refusing to show the league leaders undue respect.
Arne Slot could not help put pay tribute to the black-and-whites for being 'more aggressive than us'. The visitors even made a couple of uncharacteristic errors as they misplaced passes out of play in the opening stages while Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah were among those dispossessed.
Liverpool came back into it, of course, but it was Newcastle who were left fuming in the closing stages when referee Andy Madley blew up just as the Magpies were on a 3 v 1 counter-attack down the hill deep into stoppage time despite a long delay for a free-kick. Geordies loudly booed Madley before airing chants of 'Who's the Scouser in the blue?' and the officials were jeered off the field.
Menacing Alexander Isak proves his worth
The numbers told their own story. Two measly shots on target against struggling Crystal Palace and West Ham. It said it all that Newcastle did not even force Dean Henderson into a save at Selhurst Park last time out.
How Newcastle needed Alexander Isak fit and firing after the Sweden star hobbled off with a hip issue midway through the first half last week. Isak had hurt Liverpool before, in each of his last two appearances at Anfield, and the record signing was full of belief after shaking off the knock. "We are a team that can beat any team... I definitely feel like we have the quality to win these types of games, especially at home," he said.
Those were not empty words. Isak was a menace - creating opportunities for Jacob Murphy, Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Hall - before taking it on himself in the 35th minute. Isak is not necessarily known for strikes from distance but after turning Virgil van Dijk, the Sweden international unleashed an absolute rocket from 25 yards out that left Caoimhin Kelleher with no chance.
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United scores his team's first goal
Anthony Gordon makes amends
It was the doomsday scenario. As Newcastle scrambled to raise funds to avoid a PSR breach in the final days of June, the Magpies held talks with Liverpool about Anthony Gordon.
Six months on, Gordon was coming up against his boyhood club, having since signed a long-term deal with Newcastle. After admitting Newcastle were 'becoming the nearly men a bit too much', what better way to bounce back by stepping up against Liverpool?
Gordon certainly will have been licking his lips running at the out of position Jarell Quansah, who was filling in for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, and the England international had a glorious opportunity to put Newcastle 2-0 up in the 37th minute after Joe Gomez failed to deal with Isak's hooked ball. However, Gordon could only hit the ball straight at Kelleher.
Liverpool breathed a sigh of relief - not least when Virgil van Dijk then avoided punishment after flooring Gordon with a shoulder barge - but the Scouser made amends. Isak again turned provider, threading the ball through, and Gordon cut inside Gomez before getting a shot away that Kelleher could only help it on into the net. A spiky Gordon ran to the corner to celebrate and made a yapping gesture with both hands in a message to his critics.
Defence face sternest test - but heads don't drop
Few teams have limited Liverpool to just one solitary shot on target in the first half. The Reds may have hit the post, when Alexis Mac Allister's effort bounced off the upright, but Newcastle defended resolutely in the opening 45 minutes.
However, Newcastle were quickly undone in the second half. Mac Allister's ball over the top was taken down by Mohamed Salah out on the right and the Liverpool star played a clever pass with the outside of the boot that was volleyed in by Curtis Jones.
The momentum of the game shifted in an instant. Just a few minutes later, Darwin Nunez missed a glorious opportunity to put Liverpool in front after Cody Gakpo headed the ball across.
Newcastle recovered after Mohamed Salah's double (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Newcastle did not crumble - Gordon put the hosts back in front - but the Magpies were not ahead for long. Liverpool threw on Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz and the substitutes quickly made an impact. Szoboszlai's ball found Alexander-Arnold out on the right and the defender's cross was slotted home by Salah to level it up once again.
The pair combined once again to turn the game on its head late on when Alexander-Arnold drilled the ball across to Salah and, as the rain poured, Dan Burn slipped and the Liverpool star clinically picked out the bottom corner on the turn. However, Newcastle players' heads did not drop - they came roaring back.
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