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Newcastle United scored a late equaliser to salvage a 3-3 draw against Liverpool in a Premier League classic at St James’ Park on Wednesday night.
An emphatic strike from Alexander Isak put Newcastle 1-0 ahead at half-time before Curtis Jones drew Liverpool level shortly after the restart. Anthony Gordon put The Magpies back in front but a Mohamed Salah brace turned things around for the visitors who led 3-2 until Fabian Schar’s 90th-minute equaliser.
Here are five talking points from the game...
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A St James’ Park first for Bruno Guimaraes
In his seventh match as Newcastle captain at St James’ Park and his 100th Premier League appearance for the club, Bruno Guimaraes finally won a coin toss to allow his side to shoot ‘down the hill’ toward the Gallowgate End for the second half of the match - the preferred option for many a club captain.
Before Wednesday night, Guimaraes had lost six consecutive coin tosses as the home team captain, something that has just a 1.56% chance of occurring. It was a small victory ahead of the match as Newcastle made one change from the side that drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace with Joe Willock making way for Jacob Murphy and Eddie Howe re-shuffling his midfield to a trio of Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali.
There was one change on the bench too as Kieran Trippier dropped out due to illness with Matt Targett replacing him.
As Guimaraes led the team out at St James’ Park, a Wor Flags display which was initially planned to be a tribute to former manager Kevin Keegan, fittingly changed with a clear message to the players: “Get into them.”
And that’s exactly what they did.
Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Hall of Newcastle United react after drawing with Liverpool during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park on December 04, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Hall of Newcastle United react after drawing with Liverpool during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park on December 04, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Hall of Newcastle United react after drawing with Liverpool during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park on December 04, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A big response from Newcastle United
After registering just one blocked shot in 90 minutes against Palace, it took Newcastle just three minutes to better that figure as Tonali and Lewis Hall got shots away from the edge of the box.
The Magpies looked like a side with a point to prove after criticism aimed at their previous two performances lacking any real attacking intent or cutting edge. And the early chances put Howe’s side on the front foot for the majority of the opening 45 minutes.
“I always think I have points to prove regardless of what we've done previously and maybe that's one of our issues,” Howe told The Gazette. “We win a game, nothing changes you've got to win again, you lose a game nothing changes, you've got to fight back.
“I never get lost in that sea of results, I get lost in the sea of performance and making sure we try to be at our best and that won't change. It wasn't lost on me that we had two shots early in the game and I was delighted with that start because we needed that after our last game.”
Newcastle eventually found the breakthrough after 35 minutes as Guimaraes found Alexander Isak who, still with a lot to do, moved the ball onto his right foot and unleashed a venomous 20-yard rocket past Caoimhin Kelleher.
It was a strike that even Liverpool head coach Arne Slot couldn’t help but praise after the match.
“That first one, whoa, what a finish that was,” he said. "That shot from Isak, I don't even know if Caoimhin saw it."
Alexander Isak scored his sixth goal of the season for Newcastle United.Alexander Isak scored his sixth goal of the season for Newcastle United.
Alexander Isak scored his sixth goal of the season for Newcastle United. | Getty Images
Newcastle’s key players turn up together
Newcastle’s under-performing ‘big’ players were called into question ahead of the match - namely Isak, Guimaraes and Gordon. And all three offered impressive responses on Wednesday night.
Isak bounced back remarkably from a knock that forced him off against Palace to score one of his finest in black and white before setting up Gordon to make it 2-1 in the second half. The Swede had a second goal narrowly ruled out for offside as he spearheaded Newcastle’s attack brilliantly with a performance Howe labelled as his ‘best of the season’ - and it’s hard to disagree.
In addition to his goal and assist, the 25-year-old also created three clear-cut chances for his teammates that unfortunately weren’t converted.
As for Gordon, it was the first time this season he has contributed to a goal while playing in his favoured left-wing position. And he made his feelings clear with his celebration which referenced all the ‘noise’ surrounding him this season and how he’s shutting it out.
Although the 23-year-old squandered a great opportunity to put Newcastle 2-0 ahead in the first half, Howe was keen to highlight the winger’s performance.
“I thought we did [see the best of Gordon],” Howe told The Gazette. “He really delivered in key moments. I thought he was electric and if I'm an opposition manager looking at that performance, he's one of the first port of calls that I've got to try and deal with and I think that's Anthony at his best.
“Very, very pleased with his goal, he could have had more and kept going right until the end as well.”
Further back, the midfield three of Guimaraes, Joelinton and Tonali functioned as good as we’ve seen it with Tonali in particular really starting to take to the No. 6 role in the last two matches.
Sandro Tonali impressed yet again.Sandro Tonali impressed yet again.
Sandro Tonali impressed yet again. | AFP via Getty Images
VAR takes the night off
It wouldn’t be a night of drama at St James’ Park without some refereeing controversy. In this case, it was VAR - or rather the lack of it.
After Gordon missed his opportunity to double Newcastle’s lead, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk maliciously barged into the former Everton man with his shoulder. It left Gordon down holding his head inside the penalty area yet, despite a VAR check, nothing was given.
“I think VAR did look at it and concluded nothing happened so I have to accept that,” Howe said. “I was [surprised] initially yeah.”
VAR also failed to act when Isak went down inside the area under a challenge from Jarell Quansah.
“I thought it was a penalty,” admitted Howe afterwards.
Liverpool were also denied a stoppage-time penalty for handball against Dan Burn that VAR did check but deemed the Newcastle man’s arm to be in a natural position tucked into his body.
But arguably the most frustrating officiating call of the evening came right at the end of the game as referee Andy Madley blew for full-time just as the clock passed 95 minutes. Five minutes were initially added to the 90 but in that five minutes there was a VAR check and Newcastle had a free-kick which led to just under minutes of stoppages in total.
Yet it’s hard to believe or explain why no further time was added. To make matters worse, the referee blew as Newcastle were breaking away into a three-on-two situation to potentially snatch a winner.
Another Newcastle United v Liverpool classic - but are we surprised?
It’s one of the highest-scoring Premier League fixtures ever with plenty of classic games thrown up over the years. This was another - an end-to-end affair with both sides showing their attacking quality and defensive vulnerability.
Schar’s late equaliser was more than earned in a match neither team really deserved to lose. As impressive as Newcastle’s performance was, it should come as no real surprise.
Getting up for the so-called big games has rarely been an issue for Howe’s side at St James’ Park. This performance was nothing we hadn’t seen before.
Newcastle are unbeaten against Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park this season yet have taken just three points from matches against Everton, Bournemouth, West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham this season - and that’s where their issues lie.
To really add substance to a strong midweek performance, Newcastle will have to back it up with another away to Brentford on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off).
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