Andy Hunter was at Anfield. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
Jurgen Klopp gives his verdict to BT Sport. “It was a perfect moment. It was a difficult game. Very passionate, aggressive defending opponent, and it is difficult to pick up the rhythm. Even before we were 1-0 down we looked a bit desperate, so we had to force ourselves to be calm. It was a wonderful goal from the birthday kid. This is the best way to win a football game. I don’t need it every week, but once or twice is really good! We scored on 90 plus eight is the perfect response [to Newcastle’s delaying tactic] and I am really happy about that. But nothing else to say. It is massive, it’s great, we will remember this for years and years.”
He also reports that Jordan Henderson has a hamstring problem.
Updated
A gracious Eddie Howe speaks to BT. “It’s painful, that. Oof! That is painful. I’m really proud of my players, the commitment to the game, and the execution of the gameplan. But yeah, that’s very painful. When you’re in the lead here, it becomes a different game and we had to withstand pressure. I don’t remember them having too many clear-cut chances but thought we defended really well. The last goal was a heartbreaker. Everybody did well. Can’t fault anybody, it’s a great effort. It’s a Premier League game, we had players who were fatigued, we had one day’s recovery less than Liverpool. There was no gamesmanship from our perspective, it was just tired bodies. Second half, we wanted to slow the game down, they wanted to quicken it up, so there were natural frustrations against two polar-opposite needs.”
He also reports that Isak went off with “a knock, a dead leg”.
Newcastle’s delaying tactics may have come back to bite them, as Liverpool were permitted over seven minutes to find the winner. But their plan, a masterclass in disruption, nearly worked, and when the pain of last-gasp defeat dies down, they’ll take succour from a gritty defensive performance, and a brilliant debut goal from Alexander Isak, who looks some player. They’re a team only heading in an upward direction. Liverpool meanwhile still aren’t quite themselves, but Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho are two stars in the making, and that result could have kick-started their Premier League campaign, just when all looked lost for them in the title race in August.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Brighton | 5 | 3 | 10 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 5 | 9 | 8 |
| 6 | Leeds | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 10 | Brentford | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| 11 | Newcastle | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 12 | Man Utd | 4 | -3 | 6 |
Jurgen Klopp pumps his fist a few times! The Kop respond to every one with sheer delight. What drama! Yet another last-gasp win for Liverpool in this fixture, to go alongside the memories of 1996 and 1997. That will taste very sweet, coming at the end of added time to added time … all a result of Newcastle’s somewhat cynical delaying tactics. The hero of the hour Fabio Carvalho, speaks to BT.
“I was just there in the right area. Happily it fell for me. Look at this! These fans kept us going. We just kept going. The fans have helped us so much. I’d like to thank them, because without them this wouldn’t be possible. It was a bit frustrating at times, with their players going down, but let’s not talk about them, let’s talk about us, and how good we were, sticking to our gameplan. We got our deserved win, and hopefully we can build on this.”
FULL TIME: Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle United
Liverpool versus Newcastle, huh? What a fixture this is! Happy birthday to Fabio Carvalho, who turned 20 yesterday. Anfield is bouncing! Newcastle by contrast are understandably deflated. They fall to the floor as one, but this time the ticking clock isn’t their friend. Hoist by their own petard?
Updated
90 min +9: Anfield erupts, just like it did all those years ago when Stan Collymore scored at the other end! There’s almost a bench-emptying brawl in the dugout, presumably as a result of celebrations and a full and frank tactical discussion, but it just about calms down. What a stunner!
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle United (Carvalho 90+8)
The corner’s hit long. Some head tennis at the far stick. Salah battles. The ball drops to Carvalho who spins and absolutely roofs it from close range! Pope had no chance!
Updated
90 min +7: Newcastle threaten to nick it through Anderson, but his shot is blocked. Liverpool go up and have one last go themselves, Salah’s effort turned around the post. One last corner!
Updated
90 min +5: Gomez has a whack that is currently sailing high over Stanley Park. Klopp grins wryly.
90 min +4: The game restarts. Klopp, smiling through frosted teeth, enjoys an ironic back and forth with the fourth official.
90 min +3: Joelinton goes down with cramp. Liverpool opt not to stop the game. Joelinton gets back up. Van Dijk contests a high ball with Pope, who wins the battle. Pope goes down, and demands treatment. Say what you like about this tactic, it’s been a masterclass in disruption. Liverpool have never been allowed to build momentum.
Updated
90 min +2: Diaz dribbles from the left touchline to the right, but there’s no pass on anywhere for him. Newcastle have defended excellently tonight.
90 min +1: The first of five added minutes ticks by without incident.
90 min: Diaz turns the jets on, preparing to tear clear of Trippier down the left. Tripper does the cynical thing and hangs out a leg, more than happy to take a yellow card. Diaz was otherwise away. From the resulting free kick, wedged down the left by Milner, Carvalho attempts to spin and get a shot on goal. He can only hook wide left.
89 min: Elliott’s persistence wins Liverpool a corner down the right. Tsimikas loops a poor ball straight into Pope’s arms.
Updated
88 min: Lascelles is booked for hacking at Elliott’s ankle. The home fans are more irritated by Murphy kicking the ball away. Another free kick. Van Dijk wins a header but not particularly cleanly. Newcastle clear their lines again.
86 min: Up the other end, Willock slices a clearance straight to Fabinho, who isn’t wearing his shooting boots this evening. From the edge of the box, he hoicks an effort meant for the top-right corner high into the stand.
85 min: Anderson’s very first touch draws a foul from Milner as he makes his way down the Newcastle left. Free kick, and now it’s Liverpool’s box that’s loaded with players. Longstaff meets the set piece with weak eyebrows. Liverpool clear.
Updated
84 min: Newcastle make their third change of the night. Anderson comes on for Almiron.
83 min: Carvalho barrels down the inside-left channel with purpose. Willock barges him over from behind. A free kick, 35 yards out. Everyone lines up on the edge of the Newcastle box. Tsimikas swings it in. The ball breaks to Fabinho, who takes a touch before swiping dismally over the bar.
82 min: Milner’s speculative smack is an easy gather for Pope.
81 min: Longstaff gifts the ball to Salah, just to the right of the Newcastle box. Salah slips infield to Diaz, who takes a first-time shot towards goal. Trippier gets a boot in the way, and the ball balloons harmlessly into the arms of Pope. Newcastle have defended resolutely.
80 min: Diaz drifts in from the left and sends a rising drive towards Pope. The keeper tips over and Newcastle deal with the resulting corner easily enough.
78 min: Joelinton and Lascelles take their turn to go down. Anfield murmurs its disapproval again. Everyone in red rising to the bait.
77 min: Liverpool press Newcastle back, but there are nine black-and-white shirts stationed across the face of their box, and despite much dribbling by Diaz and Elliott, there’s no way through.
Updated
75 min: Longstaff is clipped by Fabinho and takes a quick nap near the centre circle. The Liverpool fume is real.
74 min: Tsimikas has the chance to send Carvalho into the Newcastle box from the left, but delays the pass, allowing Almiron to come across and intercept.
72 min: Tsimikas for Robertson is a like-for-like swap. Milner will stand in at right-back for Alexander-Arnold.
70 min: Liverpool’s turn to make a change, and theirs is a triple. Henderson, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson make way for Milner, Tsimikas and Carvalho.
68 min: Alexander-Arnold nearly finds Henderson on the edge of the box with a cute pass infield from the right, but Lascelles reads the danger well to intercept. Liverpool’s post-equaliser energy burst has dropped off slightly.
66 min: Gomez nearly gifts possession to Murphy, who would have been clear on goal from the halfway line. His last-ditch recovery block averts danger, then he nearly sends Salah free down the right. Pope comes to the edge of his box to claim. It’s not quite April 1996, but this is good end-to-end fun right now.
64 min: While Joelinton picks himself back up, Newcastle make a double change. Isak and Fraser make way for Wood and Murphy. Liverpool will be glad to see the back of Isak, who has announced himself to the Premier League tonight all right.
63 min: Anfield is bouncing now all right. The home support properly noisy for the first time tonight. Liverpool stepped on the gas just before the equaliser, and they’re keeping it up. Salah tries to tee up Henderson on the edge of the box but Joelinton blocks bravely. Joelinton stays down, hoping to draw some of Liverpool’s newly rediscovered sting.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle United (Firmino 61)
… and now Liverpool equalise with their second effort on target! Elliott dinks a pass down the inside-right channel for Salah to chase. Salah enters the box and checks back, rolling infield for Firmino, who flippers a first-time shot across Pope and into the bottom left!
Updated
60 min: … so having said that, Elliott finally puts Pope to work. Salah and Diaz compete for a long pass down the middle. The ball breaks to Elliott, who calmly takes a touch on the edge of the box and slams low and hard towards the bottom left. Pope smothers well.
58 min: Alexander-Arnold loops long for Salah, who is denied by Pope, who rushes out of his box to head clear. Liverpool recycle possession, Elliott sending Robertson away down the left. Robertson stands one up. Pope plucks it from the sky and goes down in the ostentatious style, fully aware this is winding the opposition up something rotten. Liverpool are yet to get an effort on target.
56 min: Isak was offside by an inch or two there, as he attempted to spring Liverpool’s high line. This dude is going to be a handful for the rest of the Premier League.
54 min: Henderson and Longstaff grapple. Newcastle clear and counter. Isak is clear down the left! He enters the Liverpool box, drops a shoulder to put Robertson on the turf, dummies again to see off Gomez, and slams home! What a cool finish! But the flag goes up for offside. He was off, but only just. Liverpool get away with a big one there.
Updated
53 min: Robertson races onto a loose ball by the left-hand corner of the Newcastle D. He tries a curler towards the top right. Willock throws himself in the way and blocks for a corner. The crowd claim a penalty but Liverpool’s players do not.
51 min: Anfield is very quiet. Under the lights, as well. Newcastle have got under everyone’s skin. They’ll be delighted.
49 min: Pope takes a while over his goal kick, and Liverpool’s impatience continues to betray them. If last night’s game between Leeds and Everton is anything to go by, you can bet Frank Lampard and Jordan Pickford are making plans ahead of Saturday’s Merseyside derby at Goodison.
48 min: Diaz gets a yard on Trippier down the left but is denied by a recovery tackle as he prepares to shoot. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
46 min: Alexander-Arnold scoops a speculative ball down the right for Salah, who gets past Burn and tries to lob Pope from his position on the touchline. Full marks for ambition, but the looping shot is always heading wide right. The Newcastle fans cheer ironically. They’re making all the noise, with the rest of Anfield very tense, Liverpool’s Premier League hopes already looking precarious with August still not out.
Newcastle get the ball rolling for the second half. They’re kicking towards the Kop now. “Living in Sweden, I have seen more of Isak than most fans back in the UK,” writes Julian Menz. “He isn’t a complete striker of course (see Sterling etc.) but it will be interesting to see how he performs in a club with high expectations. The locals are also watching Kulusevski with interest. Zlatan Who?”
Half-time singalong. Altogether now! ♪♫♬♭Good times never seemed so gooooood … ♪♫♬
HALF TIME: Liverpool 0-1 Newcastle United
Nothing doing. Newcastle lead thanks to a sensational debut strike from their club-record signing Alexander Isak. A first win at Anfield since 1994 is on!
45 min +3: Robertson dribbles in from the left. He hooks towards Elliott, who can’t steer a header goalwards. The ball breaks to Alexander-Arnold, who wins a corner that’s only half cleared. Elliott dinks it into the box again, and Trippier is forced to concede another corner under pressure from Salah. One last chance for Liverpool to go into the break on terms.
Updated
45 min +1: Elliott curls in from the right. Lascelles eyebrows out for a corner. Alexander-Arnold swings one into the mixer. Easy for Pope, who falls to the floor grasping the ball. More vocal irritation from the home supporters.
45 min: There will be four added minutes.
43 min: Henderson lightly brushes Longstaff, who goes down with clock management very much in mind. Henderson tries to drag him up, and of course it nearly kicks off. When the game finally restarts, Targett goes down with very little pressure applied by Salah. Newcastle are doing a number on Liverpool here, breaking the flow, albeit by operating on the edges of sportsmanship. Klopp is incensed at what he considers sharp practice. He is fuming. Newcastle by contrast are cool as cucumbers.
Updated
42 min: A corner for Liverpool on the left. Robertson takes this one. That’s headed behind for another. Robertson knocks back to Elliott, whose centre is dealt with easily enough. Eventually Henderson hooks harmlessly into Pope’s arms.
41 min: Some space for Alexander-Arnold down the right. He fizzes a low ball into the centre in the hope of finding Diaz, but Newcastle are well organised and clear.
40 min: That’s one hell of a finish, and Liverpool fall behind in the Premier League yet again. If memory serves, that’s now seven times in the last eight matches.
DEBUT GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Newcastle United (Isak 38)
Liverpool are rattled, and they lose concentration. Alexander-Arnold slaps a pass straight at Willock, who sends Newcastle off on the counter. The ball’s worked down the right and moved infield. Longstaff slips the ball through a huge gap down the inside-right channel for Isak, who positively lashes a shot across Alisson and into the top left! What a finish!
Updated
37 min: Now Joelinton shoves Elliott to the ground. Just a free kick, but Jurgen Klopp is now on the boil. He races over to the fourth official, with a view to telling him what’s what.
36 min: Isak leaves a bit on Gomez’s ankle. Just enough to irritate. The home crowd bite. Anfield getting angry.
34 min: Gomez bundles Fraser to the ground, 35 yards out on the left. A chance for Newcastle to load the box. The free kick’s not up to much, and Alisson launches a counter. Elliott dribbles in from the right and lays off to Firmino, who springs Diaz clear down the middle. Diaz rounds Pope on the right, but he’s been pushed out wide, and falling backwards, can only scoop his shot into the Kop. Liverpool’s best move so far, though the bar hasn’t been set particularly high.
32 min: VAR had no interest in awarding a penalty, incidentally. Replays show Salah heading the ball onto Burn’s arm, but it also hit his chest at the same time, and in any case, both the proximity and natural position rules will have worked in Newcastle’s favour. The correct decision.
31 min: A chance for Salah to run at Targett down the right. Again he’s very hesitant. His confidence seems very low at the moment. Strangely indecisive.
29 min: Salah and Burn contest a long pass on the edge of the Newcastle box. There’s a hearty shout for a hand ball and a penalty, but the referee isn’t interested.
28 min: Trippier whips the ball straight at Alisson. That’s uncharacteristically poor from Newcastle’s set-piece genius.
27 min: Fabinho heads clear from the edge of his own box. But he was leading with his shoulder and clattered into Willock. Free kick just to the left of the D. Trippier’s eyes light up.
26 min: Elliott, Diaz and Robertson combine crisply down the left to win a Liverpool corner. Alexander-Arnold takes. The ball reaches Salah, who is ponderous beyond belief. He loses possession, then Gomez high-kicks the bottom of Isak’s boot as the pair contest a loose ball. Free kick, the pressure off.
24 min: Almiron robs Robertson and goes haring down the right. Newcastle commit plenty to the attack, but Almiron dithers and the chance to cause Liverpool some serious bother is gone.
22 min: Alexander-Arnold’s long rake down the right forces Burn into conceding a corner. Robertson takes long. It’s easily headed clear by Lascelles, but the last couple of minutes have seen Liverpool belatedly spring to life.
20 min: Isak nearly releases Targett down the middle. Alexander-Arnold reads the danger and intercepts. Liverpool counter. Diaz drops a shoulder to skate past Lascelles down the left, reaching the byline and cutting back for Salah. Burn’s telescopic leg pokes the ball away from danger, just in time.
19 min: Newcastle have settled into the match in a very calm and confident fashion. Liverpool haven’t got going at all, and the home fans sound a little nervous. The Newcastle end is making all the noise right now.
17 min: Targett rolls a pass in from the left for Fraser, who immediately traps and spins into a pocket of space in front of the Liverpool D and takes a whack. His rising shot towards the top right is always heading over, but Liverpool were opened up easily by some very neat football.
16 min: Joelinton is down now. This has been a very bitty start, and the home fans are getting frustrated. Joelinton gets up eventually.
14 min: Pope takes a Pickfordian amount of time over a drop kick. Pantomime boos ring around a disapproving Anfield.
13 min: Joelinton sends a low diagonal pass into the Liverpool box from the left. Lascelles nearly gets on the end of it, but Alisson has read the danger and comes out to smother on the penalty spot.
12 min: It’s been a bit stop-and-start, and now Diaz and Lascelles come together again, accidentally clashing heads. This time it’s Diaz who suffers the most, and requires the once-over from the trainer. After a check, he’s good to keep going.
11 min: Targett brushes Salah off the ball and sends Newcastle away on a four-on-three counter. Isak reaches the edge of the Liverpool box on the left, cuts inside, and tries a curler towards the top right. His first shot in a Newcastle shirt ends up in the top-right corner of the Anfield Road end.
10 min: Diaz and Lascelles both high kick each other while battling for a bouncing ball. Lascelles comes off worse and needs a little treatment, but he’s good to continue. The game restarts.
9 min: A ball floated into the Newcastle box from the right. Trippier eases Diaz out of the way, and Pope – who looks back on an even keel now – claims calmly.
Updated
8 min: Elliott sends a delightful crossfield pass towards Robertson on the left touchline. Robertson nudges it first time past Trippier and makes for the box, but Almiron is tracking back and intercepts before a shot can be taken.
7 min: Bournemouth were already two down by this point on Saturday.
6 min: Fraser knocks the ball past Alexander-Arnold and takes on the Liverpool right back in a footrace down the left. Alexander-Arnold eases him out of the way. Fraser wants a free kick, and on first viewing he’s unlucky not to get one. Alexander-Arnold getting the benefit of the doubt there.
4 min: Pope doesn’t restart the game immediately. He sits on the turf and calls the trainer. He looks a bit queasy – he waves his hand in front of his eyes, the internationally recognised signal for blurred vision, feeling dizzy, etc. – and is given a couple of tablets. Then he launches the ball. An early worry for Newcastle.
3 min: Diaz cuts in from the left and tries a curler. Blocked. He comes again, curling into the centre for Salah, who is nudged away from the ball by Targett. Salah wants a penalty, but there’s no reason to give one. Goal kick.
2 min: I’m guessing Newcastle won the toss, because Liverpool are kicking towards the Kop in this first half. They much prefer doing so in the second. Both teams begin the game with some high-speed pressing. All a bit frantic right now.
Liverpool get the ball rolling. They may be coming off the back of a 9-0 win, but Newcastle can take heart from the last time the Reds posted that scoreline. In 1989, they beat Crystal Palace 9-0 at Anfield … then four days later drew 0-0 against a Norwich City team featuring Tim Sherwood, Andy Townsend and Robert Fleck. Nothing is ever certain.
The teams are out! Liverpool wear their famous red, Newcastle their equally renowned black and white. A classic aesthetic. Albert Stubbins would doubtless approve. One heck of an atmosphere at Anfield, with both sets of supporters making a racket. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes!
Updated
Eddie Howe talks to BT Sport. “We found out around lunchtime today [about Isak’s work permit] so that was a nice thing for us in the build-up. We’re really excited and keen to see how he does tonight. I don’t know if there’s ever a good time to play Liverpool at Anfield. They’re full of confidence off the back of the 9-0 but wherever we’ve gone we’ve shown a fearlessness in our approach and we’ve got to do that again today.”
A minor historical coincidence. Today is the 25th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales … and Liverpool versus Newcastle United was the televised game called off that ill-fated Sunday in August 1997 as a result of her passing. The previous two stagings of the fixture had both ended 4-3 – the aforementioned Stan Collymore game in April 1996, then an ersatz repeat in March 1997 in which Liverpool shipped a three-goal lead only for Robbie Fowler to spare their blushes in the last minute – and so the match had been highly anticipated. But it could not be. The fixture was eventually rearranged for January, Liverpool winning 1-0 thanks to an early Michael Owen goal.
Jurgen Klopp tells BT Sport that the 9-0 result against Bournemouth is not the reason he’s named the same starting XI tonight. “It was more the performance, and it is early in the season, and we need to find rhythm. Now we have to keep it. We had time from Saturday to Wednesday, so there was no need for rotation. Tomorrow Diogo [Jota] will be in training and Darwin [Nunez] will be free again, so it looks better now. We have to create consistency. You never can guarantee a result, but you can guarantee a specific performance if we go into it and throw everything on the pitch with an outstanding attitude.”
If it ain’t broke, etc., and so Liverpool name an unchanged side in the wake of that 9-0 rout of Bournemouth. Darwin Nunez serves the last game of his suspension, while Joel Matip and Curtis Jones return from injury to take up places on the bench.
Alexander Isak received his work permit today and will make his Newcastle debut. The 22-year-old Swedish striker is one of four changes to Eddie Howe’s side from the 1-1 draw at Wolves. Isak replaces Chris Wood, while Jamal Lascelles, Matt Targett and Ryan Fraser come in for Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and the hamstrung Allan Saint-Maximin.
The teams
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Elliott, Fabinho, Henderson, Salah, Firmino, Diaz.
Subs: Milner, Adrian, Jones, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Matip, Bajcetic, Phillips, Davies.
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Burn, Targett, Willock, Sean Longstaff, Fraser, Almiron, Isak, Joelinton.
Subs: Botman, Schar, Ritchie, Lewis, Manquillo, Wood, Murphy, Darlow, Anderson.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).
Updated
Preamble
It’s Liverpool versus Newcastle United at Anfield. Another seven-goal thriller such as this …
… would be most welcome. Kick off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
