The Newcastle United supremo entered the field of play at the end of a pulsating game
Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of Newcastle United, is seen in attendance prior to the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James' Park on August 25, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan made his way on to the hallowed turf along with a PIF delegation to show their support to Eddie Howe and his staff.
But now comes the decisive part of Newcastle's transfer window as the owners look to throw everything at the final few days of the window.
Bids for two strikers could be beefed up in the next week or so while the end game for Alexander Isak is also in sight after crisis talks at the Sweden star's house today.
Al-Rumayyan went through all the emotions at St James' Park after seeing Anthony Gordon sent off, his team go 2-0 down before battling back to 2-2.
However, a late, late winner from Rio Ngumoha left Newcastle empty despite a sterling effort with 10 men. On a night when Bruno Guimaraes screamed the place down in a desperate bid to snatch something from the game, there was pride in defeat.
But the chairman's grand gesture to enter the field and offer his backing says a lot about where Newcastle want to go from here.
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Before the kick off the message was clear from the Gallowgate End with a banner reading: "Nothing is achieved alone.
"We are a city. A Whole population. We are Newcastle United."
It was the ferocious start that Howe demands of his players, and within a few minutes, Florian Wirtz felt the full force of Sandro Tonali, while Joelinton's high challenge on Cody Gakpo moments earlier also set the tone.
But it was a Liverpool player who went into the book first as Ryan Gravenberch steamed into Bruno Guimaraes and earned a yellow card.
The first save of the night came when Nick Pope was forced to push Wirtz's effort away from goal as the Reds began to press on 14 minutes.
As the game moved into the 21st minute Tino Livramento got free down the left and crossed in from the byline but Alisson gathered well low down.
Ibrahima Konate was the next Liverpool star into the book after the centre-back tugged back Anthony Gordon to hand Newcastle another free-kick.
It took until the 28th minute for Newcastle to create something meaningful in terms of a clear-cut opportunity.
When it arrived Harvey Barnes crossed in with his right foot with Gordon sending a header just over the bar and the effort needing Alisson's full attention.
Moments later, a close-range chance for Gordon dropped in the six-yard box, but again Alisson was equal to it, and inevitably, they would be moments Newcastle would regret.
As Liverpool started to pose a few more difficult questions of the Newcastle defence, the visitors went on to take the lead.
It was a goal that should have been avoided too with Bruno failing to close down Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch who then let fly from 25 yards to beat Pope with the ex-Burnley keeper rooted to the spot at the Gallowgate End.
Things then began to look bleak for United when Gordon steamed into Virgil van Dijk before ref Simon Hooper consulted VAR and produced a red card.
That left Newcastle up against it in the second half and just 23 seconds after the break, the French star that turned the Magpies down in the summer, Hugo Ekitike fired home to double the lead.
Ekitike burst through the middle before laying the ball off to Gakpo who saw a shot cannon off Dan Burn. Unfortunately, it fell straight back into the path of the former Paris St-Germain man before he fired home a low shot to make it 2-0.
At that stage, it looked like Newcastle could have a long night, but Bruno Guimaraes offered some hope three minutes before the hour mark.
Livramento's throw was only half-cleared by the Reds before the full-back tossed in a cross that was headed home at the back post by the Brazil star to haul United back into the game.
Just before the mid-way point of the second half, Newcastle introduced Lewis Miley for Tonali who had suffered a knock.
A treble change from Howe resulted in William Osula, Lewis Hall and Jacob Ramsey looked like the last throw of the dice for Howe.
It looked like it had paid off whe Osula poked home to beat Alisson after Pope's long punt up the field but there were would be late heartbreak.
But it was Liverpool's 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha who would inflict a painful blow on United with a stoppage-time winner at the Leazes End.
The teenage sub was left unmarked on the left-hand side of the field and after Newcastle pushed up trying to score a dramatic winner themselves, they were caught by a sucker punch.
A passing move down the right resulted in Ngumoha being handed the ball on a plate before swept past Pope to win it for Liverpool on 100 minutes.
It was gut-wrenching for Newcastle after having one hand on a point with 10 men, but the truth is that the Isak saga has seeped into the club's start to the season.
With 11 men and a senior striker on the field, Newcastle are more than capable of beating the big boys - and they fell just short here.
A big week in the remainder of the window lies ahead.
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)