Newcastle United was denied a winning start to the Matthias Jaissle era after Dominik Szoboszlai’s 99th-minute penalty stole two points from the Magpies and earned Liverpool a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park.
Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock twice put Newcastle ahead, but Cody Gakpo answered after halftime before Lewis Hall’s late challenge on Victor Muñoz gave Liverpool one final opportunity.
The afternoon began with emotional tributes to Kevin Keegan, a figure revered by both clubs, before Newcastle immediately
showed the aggressive, direct style Jaissle has attempted to install during his three weeks at the helm of the club.
The breakthrough arrived after only five minutes when William Osula drove through midfield and released Elanga down the right, with the winger racing clear and finishing across Alisson for his first Premier League goal in black and white stripes.
Liverpool gradually settled without doing much damage, while Newcastle continued to cause problems whenever it went on offense. Yoane Wissa was particularly effective in the No. 10 role, while teenage midfielder Lewis Miley competed impressively against Liverpool’s more experienced midfield. Lukas Hornicek also had his Premier League debut and marked it with a strong first-half save from Florian Wirtz as Newcastle carried its 1-0 advantage into the half.
The visitors finally equalized in the 55th minute when Newcastle failed to close down Gakpo outside the penalty area, allowing the Dutchman to drive a low finish beyond Hornicek.
The response was immediate, however, as Osula l ft the pitch with a knock and Willock entered, while Wissa shifted forward before surging through midfield and supplying Willock, whose curling finish went in off the post to restore the lead.
Newcastle then had opportunities to put the game away. Wissa failed to convert from close range before Alisson denied him after Willock had sent him through, while other dangerous deliveries flashed across Liverpool’s six-yard box without a finishing touch. Alexander Isak, making his return to St James’ Park after leaving Newcastle for Liverpool, endured a largely anonymous afternoon, fired his clearest opportunity over the bar, and was aptly booed by everybody in attendance.
With Newcastle seconds from victory, former transfer target Muñoz entered the area and went down under a questionable challenge by Hall. Stuart Attwell awarded the penalty, allowing Szoboszlai to hammer the ball into the roof of the net in the 99th minute.
“For me, it was no penalty – it was a really soft one,” Jaissle said. “If you give that, we will see many, many penalties.”
Jaissle also praised Wissa’s performance while acknowledging the missed opportunities, saying, “It was an amazing performance – even if he could have killed the game!”
The draw nevertheless offered some encouragement after a turbulent summer that featured a significant squad turnover and a horrible preseason run. Jaissle’s team displayed pace, organization and a clear counterattacking identity against one of the league’s strongest opponents, although failing to protect another late lead remains an obvious concern with the Magpies still hemorrhaging points from winning positions.
Newcastle returns to action midweek for their first game of this season’s Carabao Cup, with West Bromwich Albion visiting St James’ Park on Wednesday.
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