Newcastle 2 Liverpool 2: Dominik Szoboszlai scores last-gasp penalty to rescue point for Reds

NEWCASTLE fans paid homage to an icon, vented their anger on a returning player they see as a traitor, and then saw their new manager produce an inspired substitution. And yet it ended with controversy deep into injury-time. Joe Willock scored what looked to be the winner for Newcastle against Liverpool Credit: Getty But Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai goals ensured the game ended in a draw Credit: Shutterstock Editorial It was always going to be an emotional day up here with both clubs coming together to salute Kevin Keegan, who was given a tribute which will long live in the memory. Yet this was a breathless, intoxicating contest which Keegan would have loved with Newcastle seconds from beating Liverpool for the first time in 11 years. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Yet Dominik Szoboszlai kept his nerve and delivered the perfect penalty after Liverpool were awarded a late penalty when substitute Victor Munoz went down after a slight challenge from Lewis Hall. Sub Joe Willock, who did not score once in the Premier League once last season, thought he had score the winner for Newcastle with Anthony Elanga firing Toon into a fifth-minute lead. Cody Gakpo, another player whose future is not certain, levelled for Liverpool only for Newcastle to score 176 seconds later. So, the first game of the post Eddie Howe era, which also sees the team without Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, ended with a point. Neither new manager Matthias Jaissle nor Andoni Iraola will be happy. And it was not a great afternoon for Alexander Isak who returned for his first game since his bitter £125million exit from the club. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK As he entered the doors of St James’ Park, he was labelled as a “rat”, and it did not get any better after that. This team, now minus Mohamed Salah, need a couple of wingers, a defensive midfielder and ideally, another right-back. Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha became the second 17-year-old to start on the first day of the season for Liverpool after Michael Owen. He did his best but is better off on the left, further proof that Liverpool really do need to buy a right-sided winger. With an extra 465 seats boosting attendance, the 52,630 attendance was the biggest at St James’ Park since February 1976 and every man, woman and child played their part by holding up cards for the tribute. Isak, public enemy No1, kicked off to a chorus of boos and home fans sang the name of their former hero while dropping the C bomb. Throughout, there were chants of “one greedy b******, there’s only one greedy b******”. In the opening exchanges when Isak lost possession to both Sean Steur and Hall, the crowd erupted with joy. There was no warm welcome for Alexander Isak at St James’ Park Credit: Getty Lewis Hall gave away the decisive penalty and let Liverpool equalise Credit: Getty But that was still nothing with the noise generated after Elanga galloped into the area and gave Newcastle a terrific start to the season. It was brilliantly taken and remarkably, was his first Premier League goal for the club after signing from Nottingham Forest for £55m last summer, so maybe his career up here will finally take off. But his goal came after Ryan Gravenberch lost possession with a huge hole appearing between Liverpool’s midfield and defence which does not bode well. Virgil van Dijk allowed Will Orsula to carry the ball forward but the Dutch defender, although hardly covering himself in glory for either goal, will argue the lack of protection is exactly why Liverpool need to sign a defensive midfielder. Elanga took one touch to take the ball inside the area before firing past an exposed Alisson. A suited-and-booted Jaissle, who looks as though he should be working in the menswear department at House of Fraser but certainly gets animated, celebrated with his coaching team. Keeper Lukáš Hornicek delivered a brilliant save to keep out a shot from Florian Wirtz after he had been teed up by Isak yet Liverpool did not threaten anywhere near enough. Gakpo saw a long-range shot just dip over the bar but just a minute later, drilled a shot into the bottom corner from outside the area after a great pass by Gravenberch. Here’s how the numbers looked between the Magpies and Reds Newcastle set up in a 4-4-2 shape against Liverpool Liverpool were in a more familiar 4-2-3-1 Lewis Miley had a particularly impressive game in midfield Jaissle made two changes, bringing on Willock and Jacob Ramsey, but not even he would have expected such an instant impact. Willock delivered a polished finish but none of it would have been without some brilliant footwork from Yoanne Wissa, who turned the Liverpool midfield inside out before releasing his team-mate who scored with the help of the left post. Wissa, who had a good game, should have sealed the game but saw his shot blocked by Alisson. And in the fifth-minute of injury time, Liverpool won a soft penalty to nick a point. Comment now