Liverpool wore down their visitors but needed more than seven minutes of stoppage time to find a Fabio Carvalho winner in a 2-1 comeback win over previously-unbeaten Newcastle United at Anfield on Wednesday.
Magpies record-signing Alexander Isak gave the visitors a 38th-minute lead and later had another chalked off by a razor-thin offside in a promising debut.
Liverpool gets a second win to go with two draws from five matches, while Newcastle’s first loss comes after one win and three draws.
WATCH LIVERPOOL vs NEWCASTLE FULL MATCH REPLAY STREAM
Newcastle was without Bruno Guimares, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Callum Wilson in this match of two injury-hit sides (one with quite a bit more depth).
But Roberto Firmino scored his third goal in two games, this one off a Mohamed Salah assist, to tie the game with a half-hour to play, and Carvalho lashed home off a scrum in the box.
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What we learned from Liverpool vs Newcastle
Time-wasting complaints benefit Liverpool: Newcastle was gassed and goalkeeper Nick Pope joined weary Newcastle players in staying down on the grass at many points in the second half. That meant five minutes of stoppage time and Jurgen Klopp’s complaints — and pregame speech — about Newcastle timewasting got Liverpool into the seventh minute of stoppage time before Carvalho scored his memorable goal.
Newcastle is good: Bruno Guimares and Allan Saint-Maximin didn’t pass their fitness tests, Jonjo Shelvey’s out for a while, and Callum Wilson’s not ready to go either. Eddie Howe had a plan, sure, and Isak got his work permit, yes, but a changed center back pairing of Dan Burn and Jamaal Lascelles not only rested Sven Botman and Fabian Schar but it worked for long periods of this match. Miguel Almiron did the running of two Allan Saint-Maximins and Joe Willock had a good day, too. Nick Pope was the biggest part of the near-point, though, which will test Newcastle into the weekend. The Magpies came so close to saying they’d taken points from both Man City and Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s on edge: Any joviality the living legend’s shown the media has been for show, as the German manager was kicking every ball and arguing almost every call. That translated to the pitch where Jordan Henderson served as his spirit animal, the ex-Sunderland man bringing a mini-Tyne-Wear derby to the pitch (Joelinton and Newcastle-grown Sean Longstaff were happy to join him). Newcastle’s had a fine start to the season but we can assure you Klopp did not figure on dropping points to Fulham, Crystal Palace, and (almost) a shorthanded Newcastle this season. And honestly they probably didn’t figure on losing to Manchester United, either. This win will be an earned relief but training’s still gonna be tough as Klopp gets his men back in order.
Darwin Nunez has a fight on his hands: Liverpool’s big summer boy is a force but his three-match ban for a red card has allowed Roberto Firmino to feature between Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah. Firmino had five goal contributions in the 9-0 win over Bournemouth to go with his cool finish on Wednesday. Don’t expect Nunez is slide right back into the XI.
Jurgen Klopp asked about Newcastle time-wasting
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp definitely wanted to be asked about Newcastle time-wasting, because he warned about it before the game and did not give a no-comment.
“You said it. I think that we scored in 90+8 is the perfect response to that to be honest,” Klopp said. “I’m really happy about that but nothing else to say.”
Klopp on a 9-0 win followed by one that takes 90+
“Difficult game. Very passionate, aggressive defending opponent. It’s difficult to pick up the rhythm from a game where everything clicked immediately into a game where everything didn’t click immediately.”
"We scored in the 90'+8, It's the perfect response to that."
Jurgen Klopp on how late Liverpool's winner came in the match.
📺: @USA_Network #LFC | #NUFC pic.twitter.com/LZ3lESZkKE— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 31, 2022
Tactical focus
Eddie Howe still had a plan and it sure did work. As astutely pointed out by Danny Higginbotham on USA Network at halftime, Longstaff or a teammate dropped into a back three when Newcastle had the ball and that allowed its talented fullbacks, Matt Targett and Kieran Trippier, to get more involved in attack. It was Longstaff who cued up Isak’s goal.
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Stars of the Show
Nick Pope: Absolute control of the Newcastle box.
Harvey Elliott: Buzzes around like a slightly younger Martin Odegaard.
Fabio Carvalho: Joined Elliott in making sure Liverpool’s youth recruitment from Fulham’s impressed a-plenty.
Roberto Firmino: Not that he’s ancient, but class is permanent.
Alexander Isak: One goal that counted and another that was just offside will give Newcastle fans hope that this record-signing won’t simply become a box-to-box signing like Joelinton (who’s now looks worth that money for his midfield skills).
Jamaal Lascelles: Seven clearances on the day.
What’s next?
Liverpool — and oh you’ll hear about the kickoff time — visits Everton for the Merseyside derby at 7:30am ET Saturday (which also gives the Reds plenty of time to prep for Napoli in the UEFA Champions League next week.
Newcastle has no such schedule encumberances and hosts Crystal Palace in what should be an 11am ET Sunday beauty.
How to watch Liverpool vs Newcastle live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3pm ET Wednesday
TV Channel: USA Network
Online: Stream live via NBCSports.com
Liverpool team news, injuries, lineup options
Harvey Elliott passes fit to start while Curtis Jones and Joel Matip are good enough for the bench. Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ibrahima Konate, Naby Keita, Calvin Ramsey, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Diogo Jota are out injured. Darwin Nunez is suspended.
🔴 TEAM NEWS 🔴
How we line up for #LIVNEW tonight 👊
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 31, 2022
Newcastle team news, injuries, lineup options
Some good news for Newcastle, as record signing Alexander Isak has his work permit and Kieran Trippier is ready. But the Magpies won’t have Allan Saint-Maximin and Bruno Guimares, who did not get through fitness tests, and were already without Jonjo Shelvey, Callum Wilson, and Emil Krafth. Eddie Howe may’ve put his eggs in the Wolves basket, because he’s giving a run to Jamaal Lascelles and Dan Burn instead of Fabian Schar and Sven Botman.
How we line-up at Anfield this evening…
HWTL! ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/tQ5l6pG5uL
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) August 31, 2022
