Liverpool's ongoing struggles in central midfield were laid bare once more during their trip to St James' Park, where defensive lapses proved costly against a sharp Newcastle side. The visitors began brightly, dominating early possession, but a moment of carelessness just four minutes in set the tone for a difficult afternoon under new head coach Andoni Iraola.
Ryan Gravenberch, who had shown a flash of quality to skip past Lewis Miley near the edge of the box, opted against shooting or releasing Dominik Szoboszlai and instead surrendered the ball. Newcastle pounced almost immediately, needing just one pass following Amar Dedic's clearance to send Anthony Elanga through for the opener. Liverpool's shape when out of possession was notably absent in that sequence.
A nearly identical pattern emerged in the second half. Gravenberch again lost the ball cheaply, this time attempting a back heel near the Newcastle penalty area. Yoane Wissa surged forward, weaving past several Liverpool defenders before setting up Joe Willock, who slotted home to put the hosts 2-1 ahead. Cody Gakpo had briefly leveled the score courtesy of an assist from Gravenberch, but the concession moments later underlined the fragility at the heart of Liverpool's setup.
The recurring issue points to the absence of a recognized defensive midfielder — a role unfilled since Fabinho's departure in 2023. Iraola currently deploys a two-man midfield pivot alongside Florian Wirtz operating as a number ten, but both central midfielders were caught high up the pitch during the buildup to Newcastle's first goal.
Speaking after the match, Iraola pushed back against suggestions that a specific type of player was needed to solve the problem. "I think it's just not personnel," he said. "I understand you are telling me basically that Ryan Gravenberch is the six and he is on the edge of the box – but if he shoots and he scores we are saying what a play from Ryan Gravenberch."
The manager also addressed the second goal specifically, acknowledging tactical shortcomings without attributing blame to any single player. "I think the second goal, we probably did better in terms of having the numbers to defend – we don't make the foul, or go to the first challenge or probably reduce the distance with the ball carrier, so it's an incredible goal," Iraola explained. "Situations [are] just not because one person is playing there, [it] is something that we have to correct between a lot of players."
Statistics from the match reinforced the defensive concerns. Szoboszlai failed to register a single tackle and won only three of ten duels, while Gravenberch similarly made no tackles and won four of ten. When Alexis Mac Allister replaced Wirtz after Newcastle's second goal, Liverpool appeared sturdier at the back — the Argentine completed two tackles and won four of five duels, despite preferring a more advanced role.
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge was blunt in his assessment on Sky Sports, stating that the club has lacked a genuine defensive midfielder for years. "The team has needed a defensive midfielder for three years," Sturridge said. "If you analyse the midfield, they are all naturally attacking players."
Despite the criticism, Liverpool's transfer priorities remain focused on wide attacking reinforcements rather than the midfield, even following Curtis Jones's departure. The club is said to be content with its current depth options — Wataru Endo, Trey Nyoni, and James McConnell — though a move for Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton has previously been explored, with the Eagles insisting he is not for sale. Liverpool have also seen past pursuits of Moises Caicedo and Martin Zubimendi fall through in recent years.
With expected goals figures showing 2.73 to Liverpool against 1.43 for Newcastle, the numbers suggest Iraola's side created enough to win but were undone by defensive frailty — a problem that appears increasingly structural rather than incidental.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.