NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his side's first and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his side's first and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool got their campaign underway in a cauldron of emotion at Newcastle, with a hugely underwhelming performance being saved by fortunate spot-kick.
Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool
Premier League (1) | St James’ Park
August 23, 2026
Goals: Elanga 4′, Willock 57′; Gakpo 55′, Szoboszlai pen 90+9′
Alisson – 6 (out of 10)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker reacts to conceding his side's second goal the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker reacts to conceding his side's second goal the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Not the start to a campaign he’d have wanted, conceding just minutes in. Was far too rooted to the near-post corner of his goal to invite Anthony Elanga to break the deadlock.
Didn’t benefit from an uncertain defence thereafter.
Jeremie Frimpong – 5
Does not at all look comfortable in a Liverpool shirt.
Tried to get into the game early on but rapidly began to lose possession at an alarming rate. Caught hugely lacking when Joe Willock bundled through for Newcastle‘s second.
Jeremy Jacquet – 7
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
First taste of Premier League action and needed easing into proceedings. Didn’t look out of his depth though, and showed for the ball at feet as much as possible.
Replaced on the hour mark.
Virgil van Dijk – 7
Held the line well and did a good job at directing Jacquet where possible.
Can’t be apportioned much blame, particularly after his minimal pre-season.
Milos Kerkez – 5
Looked generally poor and erratic. Advanced relentlessly but never looked entirely composed.
His yellow card within the opening half an hour felt like a question of when not if.
Ryan Gravenberch – 6
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The first half passed him by, further evidence that Liverpool’s midfield right now aren’t suited to what the new manager wants them to do.
Steadied somewhat in the second half and played a role in creating Gakpo’s equaliser.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7
Clearly very much up for putting himself around again this season and covering every blade of grass, but didn’t look at home in this new adapting system.
Hero at the death with the most composed penalty you’ll ever see in added time.
Will grow to be a model example of Iraola’s principles, but it’s going to be far from immediate.
Florian Wirtz – 5
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
If everyone was hoping the new season would immediately bring a new dawn of Florian Wirtz, think again.
An underwhelming first 45 quickly merged into a vanilla second half showing, before getting pulled just after the hour mark.
Liverpool need so much more from Wirtz.
Cody Gakpo – 7 (Man of the Match)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his side's first and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his side's first and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool’s best player and only real outlet in a really poor first half and a largely unimproved second.
Showed his willingness to shoot from range and interchange passes across the front line.
Was soon rewarded after the interval, lashing home a long-range effort with pinpoint precision.
Rio Ngumoha – 6
Not the return to St James’ Park that Liverpool’s wonderkid wanted.
Was the eleventh-hour hero here last season, today he was largely anonymous and couldn’t give the hosts much to worry about.
Alexander Isak – 5
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Alexander Isak during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Alexander Isak during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Cut an isolated figure, generally looked weak and without fire in his belly.
Hardly had a touch in the second half before blazing his first clear-cut chance over the bar, much to the joy and jeers of all four corners of the stadium.
As far from a talisman performance as he could’ve wished for on his Newcastle return.
Overall Team Performance – 6
Substitutes
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool substitutes Alexis Mac Allister and Víctor Muñoz (R) preparing to come on during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool substitutes Alexis Mac Allister and Víctor Muñoz (R) preparing to come on during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Alexis Mac Allister (on for Wirtz, 63′) – 6 – Still needs to get up to pace and match fitness but wasn’t afraid to get stuck in.
Victor Munoz (on for Ngumoha, 63′) – 6 – Fast and direct, will be a real asset this season once adapted. Very hard to mark, will gain heaps of penalties for the Reds.
Ronald Araujo (on for Jacquet, 70′) – 6 – Slotted in well and didn’t look out of place for his first taste of Premier League football.
Lewis Koumas (on for Gravenberch, 78′) – 7 – Pressed and pushed and made a nuisance of himself. A really lively cameo. Looks like he’ll be in line for lots of opportunity this season.
Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Tsimikas, Endo, McConnell, Nyoni
Andoni Iraola – 6
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola reacts during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola reacts during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Whatever the new boss had been trying to drill into this squad in pre-season fell on deaf ears in the first half especially, with Liverpool looking all out of sorts.
The disjointed nature and lack of all-round communication felt like the Arne Slot era had never ended.
Iraola picked his best XI but the urgency and intensity really isn’t there. He needs much more from these players, and certainly needs new players arriving.
There are plenty tougher opponents than Newcastle waiting on the horizon, which doesn’t bode well.
Football – FA Premier League – Newcastle United FC v Liverpool FC
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai shoots to score his side's second and equalising goal with a penalty kick during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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