As Fabio Carvalho’s close-range strike thundered in off the crossbar, Anfield erupted in a combination of joy and relief. Having demolished Bournemouth 9-0 just a few days earlier, it was vital that Jürgen Klopp’s side followed up with a win against Newcastle United. Thanks to Carvalho’s 98th-minute winner, Liverpool ensured they came from behind to record back-to-back victories and just about maintain their status in the Premier League outright odds.
But what made the win most satisfying was the fact that Newcastle adopted a game plan to infuriate Liverpool. As soon as new signing Alexander Isak gave the visitors the lead with a sensational finish after half an hour, Newcastle made it their business to disrupt the game at every available opportunity. Eddie Howe’s side were there to get something out of the trip to Merseyside, and they were going to use every trick in the book to try and get what they came for.
Whether it was goalkeeper Nick Pope holding onto the ball for half a minute every time it came into his hands, players rolling around feigning injury for extended periods, or the ball being kicked away every time Liverpool won a free-kick, Newcastle implemented their timewasting tactics with great effect for large periods, but ultimately it was all in vain as they made the trip back home with nothing to show for their gamesmanship.
Roberto Firmino’s equaliser just after the hour mark got Liverpool back into the game, and from there Newcastle were in full timewasting mode to ensure they escaped with a point. The explosion of emotion when Carvalho netted the winner showed just how much the Magpies had got under Liverpool’s skin, and it was no surprise to see the two benches clashing as the home side’s coaching staff celebrated wildly on the touchline.
In his post-match interview, Klopp only hinted at his frustration with Newcastle’s tactics, with the German clearly unwilling to be drawn into criticising Howe or the opposition players, but you could tell during the game just how irritated Klopp was. How sweet it was, then, to see his young Portuguese talent pop up to break Newcastle hearts.
The overarching satisfaction with the result stems from the fact that Liverpool were finally able to stand up to a team defending deep and employing timewasting tactics, and get the victory in the end. So often in the past, Liverpool have lost all rhythm whenever a team gets in the face, disrupts the game and makes life difficult.
This time, they came out the other side with three points for their efforts and left a talented Newcastle team red-faced at the fact they didn’t play a more expansive game when Liverpool were arguably there for the taking.
Whilst it is a satisfying result, the win will do little to paper over the cracks that are appearing in Klopp’s side in the early stages of this season. There appears to be less imagination in attack than before, and it’s clear that the team is missing both the departed Sadio Mané and the injured Thiago Alcântara. The 9-0 win against Bournemouth showed that they can turn on the style when on top form, but Liverpool will need to show further resilience if they are to avoid losing further ground in the title race.
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