Wingers come in different guises and at different prices. On the day Liverpool agreed to pay up to £123m for Bradley Barcola, the man signed for rather less, and with rather less fanfare, again spared Andoni Iraola a first defeat of his reign. On Sunday at Newcastle, Victor Munoz won the penalty that produced Dominik Szoboszlai’s 99th-minute equaliser. On his Anfield bow, the £34m Spaniard delivered a devastating equaliser.
That both contributions came from the right flank, though he had started on the left against Nottingham Forest, may be pertinent. The presumption is that Barcola will be used on the left. While Liverpool are yet to replace Mohamed Salah, they got two equalisers from the men stationed in his old spot here, with Cody Gakpo affording Alexander Isak a tap-in. The Dutchman is scarcely a right winger and faces an uncertain future at the end of the window. If Munoz had a fine introduction, this could prove Gakpo’s goodbye, and his was a valiant effort.
