Szoboszlai’s late penalty secures draw for Iraola’s Liverpool at Newcastle

Liverpool’s opening match of the 2026-27 Premier League season concluded in a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park, with Dominik Szoboszlai converting a penalty in the 99th minute to secure a point for the visitors. The result provided immediate relief for new manager Andoni Iraola, whose side had trailed twice during the contest against Newcastle United. While the draw prevented Liverpool from suffering their first opening weekend defeat since the 2012-13 season, the manner of the rescue highlighted underlying issues within the squad.

The match marked the first competitive fixture for Iraola, who noted that his team deserved the point despite a below-par performance. "It's probably not the result you want when you come in before the game but we definitely deserve this point and even more," Iraola told BBC Radio 5 Live. He acknowledged the team’s resilience, stating that they never gave up and recovered a point that tasted better due to the late goal. However, the performance raised questions about the team's readiness for a top-four challenge, with former Scotland winger Pat Nevin suggesting Liverpool did not look like a top-four side on the day.

Particular scrutiny fell on high-profile signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, both acquired for nine-figure fees last summer. Isak, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle in a drawn-out saga last September, was booed relentlessly by his former supporters. Although he looked fired up with 28 touches, he wasted a significant opportunity in the second half. Wirtz started positively but was substituted just after the 60th minute following Newcastle’s second goal. Nevin noted a definite lack of creativity, urging the club to get the best out of these expensive additions.

Cody Gakpo emerged as Liverpool’s best player, scoring a brilliant goal for the visitors. His performance is central to an ongoing transfer conundrum, as the club has been linked with Paris St-Germain’s Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, while having two bids rejected for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh. If Liverpool sign two more attacking players before the window closes, Gakpo may depart. Meanwhile, Victor Munoz made a positive impression on his Liverpool debut from the bench, winning the decisive penalty after replacing Rio Ngumoha.

The substitution of Ngumoha after just over an hour highlighted tactical experiments within the squad. The English teenager, who turns 18 next week, has preferred to play on the left throughout his youth career but struggled on the right side. Iraola’s intention to have wingers play on both sides remains a work in progress, with the experiment’s persistence dependent on future signings. Defensively, Liverpool were undone on the counter-attack for both goals conceded, with full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong having poor games. The lack of a defensive midfielder was also evident, prompting Iraola to use Alexis Mac Allister just ahead of the back four after Joe Willock put Newcastle 2-1 up.

With limited bench options remaining after the 63rd minute, including Giorgi Mamardashvili, Ronald Araujo, Wataru Endo, Kostas Tsimikas, Trey Nyoni, James McConnell, and Lewis Koumas, Iraola faces a challenge in improving both quality and quantity. Liverpool have conceded more goals via fast breaks in all competitions than any other Premier League team since the start of last season. Despite these concerns, Iraola expressed satisfaction with the energy shown, particularly by players coming off the bench, as the club looks to build momentum in the early stages of the season.