Liverpool snatched a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United as Dominik Szoboszlai smashed home a last-gasp penalty in a thriller at St James’ Park.
Newcastle seemed all set to get the Matthias Jaissle era up and running in style, thanks to Joe Willock, whose 57th-minute strike looked likely to condemn Andoni Iraola to defeat in his first Premier League match in charge of Liverpool.
Anthony Elanga’s first Premier League goal for Newcastle had put the hosts ahead early on, with Cody Gakpo hammering in an equaliser before Willock restored the Magpies’ lead 176 seconds later.
Yet Victor Munoz, a transfer target for Newcastle, who instead joined Liverpool, won a penalty when he was fouled over by Lewis Hall, and in the ninth minute of stoppage time, Szoboszlai made no mistake from the spot.
How the match unfolded
Following a touching pre-match tribute to Kevin Keegan – a legend at both Newcastle and Liverpool – the hosts made an electric start.
Ryan Gravenberch surrendered possession on the edge of Newcastle’s box, with William Osula charging forward on the counter and releasing Elanga, who coolly finished beyond Alisson.
Goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek got down sharply to his left to deny Florian Wirtz an equaliser, while Jeremy Jacquet was forced into a rather clumsy challenge on Osula at the other end.
After a scrappy end to the first half, Liverpool came out of the interval with renewed vigour, and Gakpo arrowed in a brilliant, low strike to restore parity.
Yet Newcastle were swiftly back ahead as, just 110 seconds after his introduction from the bench, Willock dug out a fantastic finish following a wonderful run from Yoane Wissa.
Gakpo seemed set to cap a surge of his own with another goal soon after, but Sven Botman, starting in Dan Burn’s injury-enforced absence, made a vital sliding challenge, allowing Malick Thiaw to clear.
Wissa failed to add a finishing touch to Hall’s low centre, before former Newcastle forward Alexander Isak was subjected to plenty of jeers from the home faithful when he sliced over from the centre of the box.
Alisson made a fantastic save to deny Wissa, and that miss proved costly for Newcastle in the final stages, with Munoz felled by Hall and Szoboszlai duly rifling home.
Liverpool, who sit ninth, are now unbeaten in 20 league meetings with Newcastle, who are a place below the Reds in 10th.
