PREMIER League, AUGUST 25 2025
Guimarães (57)
Osula (88)
Gravenberch (35)
Ekitiké (46)
Ngumoha (90+10)
Rio Ngumoha became the youngest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history with a last-gasp winner in this thriller at Newcastle United. Aged just 16 years and 361 days, the young substitute finished with aplomb after Dominik Szoboszlai had brilliantly dummied a Mohamed Salah pass. It was a goal to live long in the memory, but was nonetheless harsh on a Newcastle team that had battled back from 2-0 and a man down, following Anthony Gordon’s red card for a foul on Virgil van Dijk.
Indeed, at 2-2 and with added time ticking away, it had been the 10 players of Newcastle who looked most likely to find a winner. Similarly, at 0-0 Eddie Howe’s side were the ones pushing for an opener, only for Ryan Gravenberch to put Liverpool ahead against the run of play. Gordon’s rush of blood to the head followed just before half-time, which Hugo Ekitiké compounded by making it 2-0 immediately after the break – a goal that arrived so quickly, Arne Slot had not even emerged from the tunnel to see it.
It was a goal to rub further salt into Newcastle wounds, given that Liverpool had recently beaten them to Ekitiké’s signature. Meanwhile, a rejected £110m bid by Liverpool for Newcastle’s wantaway striker, Alexander Isak, inspired the home fans to create a raucous atmosphere. And when Bruno Guimarães headed home after 57 minutes, it turned up the St James’ Park volume again. The Newcastle players responded by pinning Liverpool back at times, as though they were the team with an extra player. Substitute William Osula duly took advantage of questionable Liverpool defending to slot home a deserved equaliser. But it was an Arne Slot substitute who ended up stealing the show.
Below, our UEFA-licensed coaches have picked out the key tactical points from the game.
How the managers saw it
“In the first half we thought we dominated the game,” said Eddie Howe. “We were in a great place and it was just the goal that was missing. In the second half we had a mountain to climb at 2-0 down with 10 men, but I thought we controlled the game. I thought we were really good and fought our way back unbelievably well, but we couldn’t get over the line to get a point.”
“I’m not too sure if I saw a football match today,” said Arne Slot. “It was set-piece after set-piece after long throws – it didn’t have much to do with tactics. But I liked a lot how we stood strong. It was a very difficult first half-hour, 45 minutes, but we didn’t collapse at all… and as a result of that we went 1-0 up. You would expect them going down to 10 men to be a big plus for us, but when a goalkeeper takes every free-kick, it’s not so much help if you are one player up… [and] we didn’t play well enough with the ball. Every time when we came to the end phase of an attack, our attackers tried to force something which never led to anything, [just] a few crosses that ended up behind the goal. But, like I said, I don’t think there was much open play.”
1213352873910112018546173811718228/2
SHOTS / ON TARGET
5/4
37%
POSSESSION
63%
22
ATTACKS INTO AREA
25
1.02
EXPECTED GOALS (XG)
0.5
Newcastle’s wide play
Newcastle started the game with great energy, flying forward from their 4-3-3 shape and attacking mostly from the wide areas. Wingers Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes were supported by their full-backs running forward from deep, with Guimarães and occasionally Sandro Tonali joining advances on the right. Newcastle probed most with their left side, however, looking to get at makeshift right-back Szoboszlai. There, Joelinton provided inside channel support, while opposite winger Elanga was very aggressive with his runs across the pitch, helping Gordon attack both Liverpool centre-backs (below).
With right-footer Tino Livramento playing left-back, Newcastle were easily able to work the ball back inside to the central threats of Elanga, Gordon and Guimarães. This was useful when Liverpool began to limit their wide-left advances, but Newcastle continued to occasionally threaten with crosses as the first half continued. Their back line were also very aggressive with their positioning (below), often forcing Liverpool to defend with everyone back. Newcastle then dominated the second phase of any clearances with aggressive counter-pressing, locking Liverpool well into their own half for significant periods of the first 45 minutes.
Liverpool building around
Just as Liverpool were beginning to establish a first real spell of possession, Gravenberch scored from range, and then Gordon was dismissed. From then on, Newcastle defended in a 4-3-2 shape. Liverpool built with a converted back three as Szoboszlai moved higher and Milos Kerkez dropped. As Liverpool could now dominate the ball, on their left side a deeper Kerkez often helped draw out the widest player of Newcastle’s second line. With simple passes around – either into dropping winger Cody Gakpo to bounce back inside, or straight into Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz as number eights – Liverpool were able to progress forward (below).
On Liverpool’s right, Salah remained high and wide, pinning back the left side of Newcastle’s defence. This created more space for Szoboszlai to adapt his movements and receive on the shoulder of Newcastle’s second line – especially as they tried to remain narrow to cover the centre. But despite Liverpool progressing around Newcastle’s mid-block, Wirtz became a little redundant between Szoboszlai and Jones (above), and the visitors created little of note, despite their spare man. As it was, the home side’s set-piece threats and direct play in possession enabled them to level the score.
Six minutes into added time and with Newcastle penning Liverpool back, Slot could have sent on 6ft 5ins signing Giovanni Leoni as an additional defender. Instead, he chose to bring on two 5ft 7ins attackers in Harvey Elliott and Ngumoha. It was a roll of the dice that worked.
Continuing to build with a back three, Liverpool finally placed their extra man higher as a fifth player within the front line. Conor Bradley (on at right-back after 80 minutes in place of Wirtz) and Ngumoha kept the width. Meanwhile, Salah joined Federico Chiesa (on for Ekitiké after 80 minutes) and an advanced Szoboszlai in overloading Newcastle’s back four. Liverpool’s build around the first line helped to attract Newcastle’s widest midfielder, before they worked the ball to Bradley (below). From there, Liverpool’s front line combined with purpose, producing a final attack of real quality. The whole front line combined as Ngumoha finished off a fine move to snatch the victory.
Despite the disappointing result for Newcastle, their fans applauded them off the pitch following a gallant performance. The result lifted Liverpool to two wins out of two as they attempt to defend their Premier League title. The tests keep coming, with Arsenal travelling to Anfield in their next fixture; Newcastle must overcome injuries, suspensions and the ongoing Isak situation as they travel to Leeds United.
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