Newcastle United were unable to capitalise on an encouraging start as Liverpool ran out 4–1 winners at Anfield, with key moments before the interval proving decisive.
Anfield is the away fixture where United have no success, despite at times playing well and putting their hosts under pressure, last night was a similar story.
Eddie Howe’s side starting the game with purpose, pressing in midfield and defending compactly, quickly regaining possession whenever the ball was lost and attacking Liverpool’s back line.
Virgil van Dijk had to be alert to prevent Anthony Gordon’s cross reaching an unmarked Barnes in front of the Liverpool goal and he was called upon again to block big Dan Burn from a Barnes cross, who then sent a curling a free-kick against the post with Alisson well beaten, after being tripped just outside the box by Ryan Gravenberch.
To the goal. A swift transition allowed Joe Willock to carry the ball with conviction, before his cross eventually found Anthony Gordon, whose calm finish put us in front.
Anthony Gordon Newcastle Shooting Goal LiverpoolFair to say that for much of the first half, Newcastle stifled Liverpool and were competitive all over the park.
However, the momentum shifted in a critical spell just before the break, when one-time transfer target Hugo Ekitike (who else?) scored twice in the space of three minutes.
The Liverpool equaliser came when a quick passage of play pulled our defence out of shape, allowing the space for Etikite to finish from close range. That lesson then going unheeded, as another lapse in concentration allowed the French striker to attack Kerkez’ long ball out of defence to double his money.
It was an awful way to end the first half and whether it was fatigue on our part, or the hosts buoyed by those fine margins going their way before the interval, the second half saw Newcastle forced to play deeper.
That said, Barnes was denied an equaliser when Alisson made a great save, but with Liverpool now in the ascendancy, that did feel like a huge lost opportunity.
And so it proved. Ekitike could have had a hat-trick when capitalising on a slip by Burn, only to roll his shot wide of Pope’s far post, before Florian Wirtz added a third, Liverpool breaking with purpose after Thiaw had given the ball away near the halfway line.
The fourth, scored in added on time, was down to a mistake from Nick Pope, dropping the ball from a corner and allowing Konate to stab the ball home in front of the Kop.
Whilst the final scoreline is of course hugely disappointing, it perhaps reflects Liverpool’s clinical edge during decisive moments, rather than a lack of competitiveness from United.
That Liverpool have struggled to show this Premier League form in recent times until they come up against us, is one of those Arthur C Clarke mysteries.
We go to the Etihad on Wednesday trying to claw back a two goal deficit to progress to a third Wembley final in four years. That place is another ground where we always come unstuck, but I’m willing to wager that if we can be as competitive as we were in the first forty minutes at Anfield, you just never know.
Liverpool 4 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 31 January 2026 8pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United :
Gordon 36
Liverpool:
Ekitike 41, 43, Wirtz 67, Konate 90+3
Possession was Newcastle 46% Liverpool 54%
Total shots were Newcastle 8 Liverpool 17
Shots on target were Newcastle 2 Liverpool 7
Corners were Newcastle 11 Liverpool 7
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 21 Liverpool 41
Newcastle team v Liverpool:
Pope, Trippier (Osula 84), Thiaw, Burn, Hall (Alex Murphy 89), Tonali, Ramsey, Willock (Woltemade 73), Elanga (Jacob Murphy 73), Barnes (Wissa 73), Gordon
Unused subs:
Ramsdale, Botman, Miley, Shahar