Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories absent friends Enthralling Premier League classic shows why Liverpool and Newcastle need Isak The Reds flattered to deceive at times despite claiming a big win. 12.02am, 26 Aug 2025 Share options Paul Fennessy ALEXANDER ISAK may not have signed for Liverpool yet, but he has already been partly responsible for a big win for Arne Slot’s side. Newcastle were utterly dominant for the opening half an hour at St James’ Park. The visitors struggled to deal with the intensity, physicality and direct approach of the hosts, who were fired up thanks to a vociferous crowd enlivened by their collective fury over the Isak saga and the Reds’ part in it. But as was the case in their opening goalless draw with Aston Villa, Newcastle could not convert their superiority into goals amid a frustrating opening period. Anthony Gordon, who plays predominantly as a winger, deputised for Isak as the central striker for the second game in succession. At one point in the first half, with Newcastle in the ascendancy, Harvey Barnes produced a brilliant cross, but his fellow England international could only find the roof of the net with his wayward header. Had Isak been in the penalty area instead, there would surely have been a different outcome. It went from bad to worse for Gordon. Perhaps influenced by the crowd’s intense anger and hostility towards their opponents, the 24-year-old committed a wild, dangerous challenge on Virgil van Dijk, catching the Dutch international’s calf. Gordon had already cut a frustrated figure and was given his marching orders for this moment of madness. Without him, Newcastle’s hopes of getting anything from the game were significantly reduced. And the Magpies’ chances dwindled further when Hugo Ekitike made it 2-0 20 seconds into the second half — a goal scored so quickly after the restart that Slot hadn’t even made it back to the dugout in time to witness. Advertisement It was a fine first-time finish from the 23-year-old €95 million summer signing from Eintracht Frankfurt. The moment invited the inevitable question of whether Liverpool actually need to sign a world-class striker when they potentially already have one on their books. Ekitike has made a superb start to life in England, with three goals in three games (if you count the Community Shield), though he was signed on the back of one exceptional season, when 15 goals in 33 league games saw him make the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season. Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool celebrates with manager Arne Slot after the Newcastle United vs Liverpool Premier League match at St James' Park.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo But while Newcastle need Isak more desperately than Liverpool, the Reds are similarly looking somewhat light in attack. The €75 million and €65 million departures of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz to Al-Hilal and Bayern Munich, coupled with the tragic death of Diogo Jota, have resulted in a situation where Federico Chiesa was their only experienced attacker on the bench. 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha was the other viable alternative. Not many outside of Liverpool will have been familiar with the name before tonight, and the decision to introduce the teenage debutant off the bench in the 96th minute — without the benefit of hindsight — felt like a desperate gamble Slot had watched his side being outplayed by 10 men for most of the second half, and the coach had ostensibly been outthought by rival manager Eddie Howe. A man down and without Isak, Newcastle played as if the world was against them and looked galvanised against an unusually passive Liverpool. After second-half goals from their inspirational captain, Bruno Guimarães, and largely unheralded Danish forward William Osula — perhaps aggrieved that he has barely been mentioned amid the Isak saga — Newcastle went from dead and buried to on the cusp of one of the all-time great Premier League comebacks. Magpies legend and occasional TV commentator Kevin Keegan once memorably remarked, “There’s only one team that can win this now,” when an 18-year-old Michael Owen came off the bench to score a stunning late equaliser in the 1998 World Cup match between England and Romania. The Romanians, of course, went up the other end and scored to defy narrative expectations. Although a teenager was the matchwinner on this occasion too — thanks to Ngumoha’s composed finish that belied his tender years — it was very much the anti-Hollywood ending in another sense, as all the momentum appeared to be with a gallant Newcastle side. Liverpool prevailed despite only registering five shots — their lowest tally of the Slot era. The Reds continue their remarkable record against Newcastle — they are now unbeaten in 18 league games against the Magpies. Yet the gap has been decreasing — Howe’s team upset them in the EFL Cup final back in March and drew the equivalent league fixture 3-3 last season when it was Liverpool who fell victim to a late goal. Naturally, Isak found the net on both occasions. Had he played for the hosts tonight, they surely would have capitalised on Liverpool’s lacklustre display. Similarly, it’s increasingly apparent that the Reds could do with his star power to add an extra dimension to their attack. Yet that is far from Slot’s only problem. Their defensive frailties were exposed on several occasions, with Ibrahima Konaté and Milos Kerkez looking especially vulnerable. The likes of Florian Wirtz and Mo Salah had quiet games, even though the latter claimed an assist amid the thrilling climax. And they cannot expect to rely on a 16-year-old — as phenomenal a talent as he may be — to hit crucial goals every week. But like Alex Ferguson’s teams in their pomp and numerous other great sides, Liverpool survived an indifferent performance and found a way to win — that, as much as anything else, is the mark of champions. Paul Fennessy Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Enthralling Premier League classic shows why Liverpool and Newcastle need Isak”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Enthralling Premier League classic shows why Liverpool and Newcastle need Isak”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion absent friends Premier League talking point Newcastle United FreeUnbelievable scenes 16-year-old hits last-gasp winner in Liverpool's remarkable thriller with Newcastle FreeBig Money Everton sign highly-rated Southampton teenager for €49 million Freerebuffed Wolves reject Newcastle's €57 million bid for Jorgen Strand Larsen FreeUnavailable Owen Elding to miss out on Republic of Ireland U21 call-up as eligibility process ongoing FreeCycling David Gaudu surges to victory in third stage of Vuelta Espana Aaron Hill upsets world number two Kyren Wilson at Wuhan Open Aaron Kernan joins Meath football management team FreeUnavailable Owen Elding to miss out on Republic of Ireland U21 call-up as eligibility process ongoing Bruno Fernandes 'upset' with referee for not apologising during penalty routine incident FreeUnbelievable scenes 16-year-old hits last-gasp winner in Liverpool's remarkable thriller with Newcastle Bikes reportedly worth a total of €250,000 stolen at Vuelta more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine TG4 Entertainment Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online Sign in or create a free account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account