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Last Season
SJP
Unlikely Lads
Liverpool (h) Premier League
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Date: Monday 25th August 2025, 8pm Live on Sky Sports Venue: St.James' Park
Conditions: Breathless |
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Newcastle |
Liverpool |
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2 - 3 |
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| Half time: | 0 - 1 | |
| Score Sheet: | ||
 (57)
Guimaraes (88)
Osula |
Gravenberch
(35)
Ekitike (46) Ngumoha (90+10) |
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Teams |
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Pope Trippier Livramento Burn Schar Joelinton Tonali Guimaraes Elanga Barnes Gordon |
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Allison Szoboszlai Kerkez Jones van Dijk Konate Gravenberch Gakpo Wirtz Salah Ekitike |
| Substitutes: | ||
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(66) L.Miley for Tonali (76) Ramsey for Joelinton (76) Hall for Trippier (76) Osula for Barnes (81) Thiaw for Schar |
Chiesa for
Ekitike (80) Bradley for Wirtz (80) Ngumoha for Gakpo (90+6) Elliott for Jones (90+6) Endo for Salah (90+12) |
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| Subs not used | ||
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Botman J.Murphy Ramsdale Willock |
Gomez Leoni Mamardashvili Robertson |
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| Bookings: | ||
Burn
Guimaraes
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Gravenberch
Konate
Bradley
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| Dismissals: | ||
Gordon (straight red 45+3) |
None
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Referee: Simon
Hooper - a first appointment involving Newcastle for the Wiltshire
whistler since the 0-1 PL reverse
at Arsenal back in May. Hooper's previous sighting at SJP was for the 2-0 Carabao Cup second leg success against the Gunners, tonight his first PL appearance here since the 4-1 win over Chelsea in November 2023. VAR: John Brooks |
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Attendance:
52,230 including 3,000 travelling fans.
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Goals |
35 mins Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch combined for the latter to ping a low shot between Nick Pope and his right hand post at the Gallowgate End, the goalbound shot flicking off Fabian Schar. 0-1
(45+3mins Anthony Gordon straight red card)
Half time: Newcastle United 0 Liverpool 1
46 mins Hugo Ekitike won his contest with Sandro Tonali as he pushed
forward, pushing the ball to Gakpo. His shot was blocked but Ekitike pounced on
the rebound and fired home via a post.
0-2
57 mins Tino Livramento's centre from the left flank was directed towards Bruno Guimaraes, who bustled past Milos Kerkez before burying a diving header into the bottom corner of the goal. 1-2
88 mins Nick Pope restarted play with a punt downfield from midway in his own half. Dan Burn made a failed attempt to head the ball on but it ran into the path of William Osula, who powered forward despite the presence of Ibrahima Konate before touching the ball beyond Allison. 2-2
90+10 mins
A rare extended passing move on a
hectic night saw Mo Salah pull a low centre across the United area from the
right.
Dominik
Szoboszlai
dummied the ball and Rio Ngumoha buried
it. 2-3
Full time: Newcastle
United 2 Liverpool 3
We Said |
Eddie
Howe said:
"A bruising game for us with so many different emotions.
"I'm really proud of the performance, really pleased with how
we played, great energy, great intensity, really pleased with the
following of the game plan and then adapting because we go to 10 men
and for me we're the better team in the second half as well as the
first.
"It's a really tough night for us from a number of fronts. Really
painful one for us. I think we deserved something from the game.
"We get no points, we get injuries. Joelinton and (Sandro)
Tonali don't look good. (Anthony) Gordon will be suspended
and Fabian (Schar) was concussed.
"We had a mountain to climb at 2-0 down and 10 men. We fought
unbelievably well to come back. Of course you’re frustrated when you
deserve to get points.
"I'm pretty down. It's very difficult to disguise your emotions
after that. I'm proud of the players and the effort they've given.
Two very different halves - going two down is a mountain to climb
when you have a man less but they somehow found a way back in."
On Anthony Gordon’s red card:
"I've only seen it once back and it was very quick as the game was
going on. I think Anthony was going in full blooded into the
challenge and he's tried to pull out and slipped and his momentums
taken him in. It didn't look good but I don't think there was any
intent."
"Of course he wants it a lot but he’s gone in for a tackle at an awkward angle...there was no intention or malice to hurt Virgil van Dijk.”
On a possible return for Alexander Isak:
"I’ve got no idea on that. I’ve been here. Certainly far from ideal
to lose a forward option but great to see Will Osula come on and
score tonight.”
On Osula's goal:
"It was a great finish from him and a big moment for us because at
that moment you think could we go on and win the game.
"We put a lot of set plays into their box, we asked a lot of
questions of them defensively but you always feel in that moment,
especially with 11 minutes of injury time there's always going to be
chances for both teams and unfortunately, they took two of theirs in
that second half."
On the Liverpool winner:
"It's a great finish from their perspective. We'd be disappointed
with how we conceded that, even though we had a man less."
On transfers:
"Hopeful and I know we'll keep going right to the end of the window.
I think that's probably the best way of putting it."
"I'm proud to be recognised by my fellow professionals with a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for 2024/25.
"First and foremost I want to thank my teammates and everyone at Newcastle United who has supported me along the way.
"I'm not at the ceremony tonight. With everything going on, it didn't feel right to be there.
"I've kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken. That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn't reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.
"The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.
"When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship
can't continue. That's where things are for me right now – and why
change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”
NUFC response
on Tuesday:
"We are disappointed to have been alerted to a social media post by
Alexander Isak this evening.
"We are clear in response that Alex remains
under contract and that no commitment has ever been made by a club
official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer.
"We want to keep our best players, but we also understand players have their own wishes and we listen to their views. As explained to Alex and his representatives, we must always take into consideration the best interests of Newcastle United, the team and our supporters in all decisions and we have been clear that the conditions of a sale this summer have not transpired. We do not foresee those conditions being met.
"This is a proud football club with proud traditions and we strive to retain our family feel. Alex remains part of our family and will be welcomed back when he is ready to rejoin his teammates."
They Said |
Arne Slot said:
"I'm not too sure if I saw a football match today. It
was set-piece after set-piece, long throw.
"It didn't have a lot to do with tactics, what I said before the game, but I
liked a lot how we stood strong. Very difficult first half hour, 45 minutes,
but we didn't collapse at all, we stood strong.
"Going down to 10 men, you would expect that that is a big plus for us, but when a goalkeeper takes every free kick, then there's not so much help if you are one player up, and that's why it was so difficult for us to bring the 2-0 over the line.
"I don't think there was so much open play to be
played. In a set-piece, a long throw-in, a long ball from the goalkeeper,
you don't need an extra man. It's always nice to have an extra player on
hand, but it's just not as beneficial as if they want to bring the ball out
from the back and we can press them.
"So, yes, with the ball, the one and only attack that was good in the second
half, apart from maybe the 2-0, that was the one that led to the goal, which
was a great attack. And for the first time, we went from right to the middle
to the left, and a great goal for a 16-year-old.
"Maybe it wasn't the best game in terms of tactics or in terms of playing football, but I think every fan everywhere around the world enjoyed watching this game of football, also because their fans were amazing in terms of the help they gave the home team."
Stats |
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Waffle |
A game that had threatened to be overshadowed by
the saga of Alexander Isak in the end served up enough incident and
drama to banish thoughts of the absent striker - at
least for 102 manic minutes at Gallowgate on Monday.
Sadly for Newcastle though, a gargantuan effort that saw them
recover from falling 0-2 behind and going down to ten men left them
empty-handed, after a 16 year-old debutant scored the winning goal
deep into second half added time.
And in addition to an unwanted suspension headache, Eddie Howe was
landed with three injury issues to contend with as the clock ticks
down towards the end of a bewildering and brutal transfer window.
Backed by unwavering home support, an unchanged United side from
that which had taken a point from their opening game at Aston Villa
mounted a superhuman effort to press back the reigning champions
in their own half.
For all their effort and endeavour though, Allison in the Liverpool
goal was barely tested before the visitors went ahead on 35 minutes;
Ryan Gravenberch firing a low shot from distance that took a slight
deflection off Fabian Schar that left Nick Pope flat-footed in the
Gallowgate End goal.
Worse was to come in first half added time, when Anthony Gordon's
manic crossfield dash in an attempt to retrieve
possession ended with him clattering into Virgil van Dijk and seeing
red after a pitchside VAR review.
He'll miss PL games at Leeds, at home to
Wolves and at Bournemouth.
That may have provoked negative chanting from some home fans, but
like Gordon's red card transgression last season here against Brighton in
the FA Cup, this was needless, indefensible and brainless given our
striker shortage.
When former Toon transfer target Hugo Ekitike powered home his third
goal in as many games just 20 seconds after the interval the game
looked over as a contest - only for Bruno Guimaraes to throw himself
at Tino Livramento's left wing cross and head home to halve the
deficit.
That came just before the hour mark, but while the goal roused the
crowd again, United's hopes of continuing their revival received a
treble blow when Sandro Tonali, Joelinton and Fabian Schar were all
forced off due to injuries.
The introduction of five replacements brought maiden outings for
both Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey, but it was substitute William
Osula who conjured up an improbable leveller, following in
Pope's long kick upfield with just two minutes of normal time
remaining.
An additional 11 minutes were added (mostly caused by Liverpool
time-wasting) as the hosts attempted to seal the most incredible
comeback against a Reds side who never held the initiative despite
their numerical advantage.
Sadly though, in much the same way that Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler
had broken United hearts in those two 4-3 games at Anfield, the
extra time agony came from 16 year-old Rio Ngumoha, who took less
than five minutes of his senior debut to fire home from inside the
box after Dominik
Szoboszlai
dummied Mo Salah's centre from the right.
Despite the selection
issues, the spirit and endeavour that brought us Wembley success
against this opponent last time out was channelled again here
- and against the odds, it almost worked.
Luck of judgment may have deserted us at crucial times tonight, but
there was no lack of collective effort and an incredible amount of
energy was expended in what ended up as a fruitless pursuit. The
absence of Isak may be affecting us statistically but not mentally.
Whatever happens between now and September 1st though, the player
who scored our winning goal against Liverpool didn't play tonight.
Whatever colour shirt Isak ends up wearing, that's a victory for
Liverpool and their many sympathisers and apologists.
If not for the Gordon stupidity, this would have been categorised as
a glorious failure. Sadly though, the hangover from that moment of
madness threatens to impact on
our next set of games, even without the transfer window madness.
It's never dull round here.
Biffa