Andoni Iraola's first away test as Liverpool boss ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw at St James' Park, with Dominik Szoboszlai converting a 99th-minute penalty to spare his side an opening-day defeat. It was a nervy finish reminiscent of last season's meeting between the two clubs, when Rio Ngumoha's stoppage-time strike sparked wild celebrations for Liverpool. This time the mood was one of relief rather than triumph as Liverpool twice came from behind against a vocal Newcastle crowd.
Cody Gakpo was Liverpool's standout performer, finishing smartly to help pull his side level, while Joe Willock's goal had put the hosts back in front before Szoboszlai's late intervention salvaged a point. Had Liverpool lost, it would have marked their first opening-weekend defeat since the 2012-13 campaign, making the late leveller all the more significant for a side still finding its identity under a new manager.
Iraola, who watched his team fight back twice, insisted his players deserved more than a draw. "It's probably not the result you want when you come in before the game but we definitely deserve this point and even more," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "The team has never given up and we've recovered one point and probably the taste is better because we score in the last minute."
Despite the leveller, questions remain over the depth and balance of Iraola's squad. Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin, speaking on 5 Live, suggested Liverpool did not resemble a top-four outfit on the day. "You're expecting Liverpool to get top four this season at least but they didn't look like a top four team today," he said. "There are more players to come in, so you can't make a real decision on how their season is going to go. There's a definite lack of creativity and somehow they must get the best out of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak because you certainly didn't get the best out of them today."
Isak, who completed a big-money move from Newcastle last September, was jeered by his former supporters throughout and squandered a clear chance in the second half — the type he used to convert regularly in a Newcastle shirt. Wirtz, meanwhile, began brightly but was substituted shortly after the hour mark once Newcastle retook the lead.
One bright note from the bench was the debut of Spanish forward Victor Munoz, who won the stoppage-time penalty converted by Szoboszlai after replacing Ngumoha. The teenage winger Ngumoha, who turns 18 next week, struggled after being shifted to the right flank and was withdrawn just past the hour.
Defensively, Liverpool were again exposed on the counter-attack, with both goals conceded stemming from quick transitions — extending their tally of goals conceded from fast breaks to nine since the start of last season, the most in the Premier League over that span. Full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong endured difficult afternoons, and Iraola's use of Alexis Mac Allister in a deeper midfield role after going behind underlined the lack of a natural holding midfielder.
With options limited on the bench — including Giorgi Mamardashvili, Ronald Araujo, Wataru Endo, Kostas Tsimikas, Trey Nyoni, James McConnell and Lewis Koumas — Iraola may push for further reinforcements before the transfer window closes. Liverpool have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, as well as Brighton's Yankuba Minteh, moves that could ultimately affect Gakpo's future at Anfield despite his impressive display on Sunday.
Despite the defensive frailties, Iraola took encouragement from his side's resilience. "I've liked a lot of the things I've seen from the team," he said. "There's definitely things to improve like the goals but I've seen a lot of things I've liked from the team. I've liked the energy, especially the players coming from the bench."
Szoboszlai echoed that fighting spirit after his match-winning penalty. "We will never give up. I can guarantee you that," he told Sky Sports. "We have to fight every time — all day long during the 90 minutes. Everybody who came off the bench also made an impact as well. We need the whole squad and we need to be ready."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.