How the national media reacted to Liverpool's 3-2 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League on Monday evening
Konate is challenged by Gordon (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Have you got your breath back yet? Liverpool continued their 100% start to the defence of their Premier League title with an incredible 3-2 win at 10-man Newcastle United on Monday night.
Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike scored either side of a red card for home forward Anthony Gordon only for goals from Bruno Guimaraes and substitute William Osula to draw the Magpies level until 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha scored in the 10th minute of injury time to earn Arne Slot's men a famous victory.
It made for a satisfying ending at St James' Park. And while the ECHO was in attendance and provided our usual level of coverage, here's how the national media viewed another important result for Slot's side.
Much of the coverage focused on Newcastle and, writing in the Daily Mail, Oliver Holt sought to explain why there was such animosity from the home crowd towards Liverpool..
"This was a night from hell for the hosts, a night of a player sent off and others lost to injury, a night of spirit in the face of adversity from the ten men left on the pitch, spirit that counted for nothing when Liverpool scored a 100th minute winner for a stunning 3-2 victory," he pens.
"Part of the visceral energy coursing around the ground stemmed from the fact that Liverpool embody everything Newcastle want to be. They are also the epitome of everything Newcastle detest and much that they envy.
"They play in a city, as Liverpool do, that has often felt pushed to the margins, but Liverpool are part of the English football elite. They have built a pattern of consistent success, both domestically and in the Champions League.
"Liverpool are old money, too. They're the football establishment. Newcastle have their noses pressed up against the glass of that establishment and, to their fury, even the riches of their Saudi Arabian owners, have not gained them entry to the club."
John Cross of The Mirror sought to praise Liverpool's character while pointing out some of their ongoing issues.
"To think, this was all built as the Alexander Isak grudge clash after the transfer saga of the summer. Alex who?" he says. "Honestly, by the end, no-one was talking about him.
"It was all about the glory of the game, the heroes, the crowd and the fightback. What an astonishing match. If there is a better game all season, then it will have to be something special.
"It also underlined the character and fight of Slot’s champions as they are determined to fight to hold onto their Premier League crown. They still have flaws and weaknesses - Ibrahima Konate had another shaky night - and they still look a work in progress. But they will take some stopping this season.
"Liverpool had to survive a red-hot start and few deserve more credit than Dominik Szoboszlai who filled in bravely at right back and gave everything."
Paul Joyce of The Times pointed out the overzealousness of the red-carded Gordon and highlighted why the Reds need to be busy in the transfer market.
"He took Newcastle United co-owner Jamie Reuben’s pre-match social media post 'INTO THEM', a not-too-veiled reference to the animosity Liverpool’s pursuit of Alexander Isak has fuelled in these parts, far too literally," he scribes.
"Gordon’s impetuous streak has reared before, notably when he found himself suspended for the Carabao Cup final success between the teams at Wembley last March, and in careering dangerously into Virgil van Dijk just before the interval he let his manager down once again.
"Another red card also deepened Newcastle’s striker shortage.
"Liverpool have issues of their own, of course. Having used that numerical advantage to further establish themselves in the ascendancy, the defensive ricks that have been evident this term were exposed again as they wilted under a late assault.
"For all the focus on Isak’s future, a deal for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is increasingly important given the manner of the concessions with two defenders not attacking high balls."
Finally, Richard Jolly of The Independent looked at a special moment for the matchwinner.
"In the 100th minute, four minutes into his Premier League debut, in the week he will turn 17, in a game when 10 men had come from 2-0 down against the champions, it was a wondrous moment for the wonderkid," he opines. "Every aspect of it was remarkable. Rio Ngumoha became the youngest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history but his winner was so much more than that.
"It was beautifully taken, for starters, curled in after a lovely dummy by Dominik Szoboszlai. It was desperately cruel on Newcastle, who had rallied wonderfully in adversity.
"It robbed Will Osula of his own status as the super-sub who had the final say in an extraordinary affair. Denied victory at St James’ Park by an injury-time equaliser last year, Liverpool got victory now with a still later goal.
"Last week Federico Chiesa was the substitute who delivered the decisive goal, also after Liverpool gave up a 2-0 lead. Like him, Ngumoha may have languished unused had Liverpool got the attacking reinforcements they wanted.
"Each nevertheless showed a strength in depth. Liverpool, once again, found an astonishing way to win on another night when they did not require Isak."