Late Penalty Drama as Newcastle and Liverpool Draw a Thriller

Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up in the ninth minute of added time to convert a dramatic penalty, rescuing a 2-2 draw for Liverpool at St James' Park. The Hungarian midfielder's cool finish from the spot was his second goal of the afternoon and capped a frantic encounter that saw the lead change hands twice in a four-minute spell either side of half-time.

Newcastle had taken the lead inside five minutes when Anthony Elanga, set free by a fine pass from William Osula, slotted past Alisson Becker. The home side, who had been written off by many after a difficult summer, were superb on the counter-attack throughout the first half.

Liverpool's equaliser came ten minutes after the break, with Cody Gakpo unleashing a long-range strike that flew past Martin Dúbravka. But parity lasted barely two minutes as Joe Willock finished off a slick counter-attack to restore Newcastle's lead, after some calamitous defending from the Liverpool midfield.

As the clock ticked into the 96th minute, it seemed Liverpool's misery was complete. But with the last meaningful attack of the game, substitute Victor Munoz was clumsily brought down by Lewis Hall inside the box. Referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot, and Szoboszlai made no mistake, driving his effort into the roof of the net.

Jaissle Fumes at 'Soft' Penalty as Premier League Confirm Decision

The result leaves both teams level on a point apiece, with Newcastle in 10th and Liverpool in 9th after the opening weekend. But the game will be remembered as much for the late penalty decision as for the two excellent goals and relentless attacking football. Newcastle's performance, in particular, was a statement of intent under new manager Matthias Jaissle, who cut a frustrated figure at full-time.

Jaissle's post-match comments were dominated by the penalty decision. "I think you call it here a really soft one," he said. "If you give that then there will be so many penalties in the future. I am not a fan of that, I have to say. I disagree but more I cannot say."

The Premier League's Match Centre has since confirmed that the penalty was awarded because Hall did not play the ball and made 'clear contact' with Munoz. The touchline scuffle that followed the initial challenge was a sign of the game's tension, and the decision is sure to be a talking point for days to come.

Neville: 'Hall Knows Deep Inside It Was a Penalty'

Replays were inconclusive on whether the contact was initiated outside the box, but Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, was in no doubt. "Hall has been incredible but that is not going to be overturned," the former Manchester United defender said. "There was no touch on the ball… I think Hall knows deep inside that it was a penalty." His co-commentator, Jamie Carragher, was more critical of his old club, bemoaning the 'madness' of being all too easily played through for both Newcastle goals.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, who was also taking charge of his first competitive game, was pleased with the character his side showed. "I don't think we deserve to lose the game today and I value the effort from the players," he told Sky Sports. "I think the players coming from the bench gave us energy. I don't know if they played better, worse, but they gave us energy. And you can feel the way we want to play, everyone is not going to last 90 minutes. So we need this energy from the ones coming from the bench and I think today it happened."

Analysis: Where It Was Won and Lost

Newcastle were excellent without the ball, suffocating Liverpool's midfield and forcing them into mistakes. The stats paint a picture of dominance for the visitors in terms of possession (61%) and shots (27 to 13), but the underlying concern for Iraola will be the ease with which Newcastle exploited the space behind his full-backs. Liverpool's casual nature in possession was punished ruthlessly on more than one occasion, and only the woodwork and some last-ditch defending kept the score down.

What's Next

Newcastle will look to bounce back from this disappointment when they host West Brom in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, before travelling to Tottenham Hotspur on August 29. Liverpool, meanwhile, welcome Nottingham Forest to Anfield on Saturday, before a trip to Ipswich Town on September 4. Both managers will be demanding a vast improvement in defensive solidity if they are to challenge for the title.