Dominik Szoboszlai scored a 96th-minute penalty as Liverpool came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Newcastle United at St James' Park on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Anthony Elanga put Newcastle ahead after five minutes, and Matthias Jaissle's side led 1-0 at half-time. Cody Gakpo levelled for Liverpool in the 55th minute before Joe Willock restored Newcastle's lead three minutes later. Szoboszlai then converted from the spot deep into stoppage time after Newcastle's Lewis Hall fouled substitute Victor Munoz, sealing the 2-2 draw.
Newcastle's habit of surrendering leads
The result continued a troubling pattern for Newcastle, who have now dropped 29 points from winning positions in the Premier League since the start of last season. Only Wolfsburg, who have surrendered 33 points from winning positions in that span, have lost more across Europe's big five leagues.
Liverpool's opening-day record stays intact
For Liverpool, the point extended an unusual run. Andoni Iraola's side remain unbeaten in their opening match of the Premier League season for the 14th consecutive year, since 2013-14, the longest active such run in the competition.
Jaissle: 'We are proud of the unit'
Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle told BBC Sport: "In the end, I am a bit disappointed. We were so close to getting the three points, for sure. But there is also some brightness, definitely, because the guys were doing an amazing job for over 90 minutes. We are a young squad and they really left their heart on the pitch and this is something we can build on."
On the penalty award, Jaissle said: "If you give it, it's a really, really soft one and then you have to give many, many penalties throughout the game and throughout the season. I'm not a big fan of the decision." He added: "We have a clear idea of how we want to play football and today we saw quite a lot of that. I am enjoying it already."
Wissa's impressive display
Yoane Wissa, who joined Newcastle for £55 million last season, set up Willock's goal and said afterwards it was his best performance in the club's colours.
Watch the highlights
Full highlights of the 2-2 draw are below.
'A huge moment' for Iraola
Writing from St James' Park, Daily Mail Sport's Ian Ladyman said Liverpool were "admirably determined not to lose," adding that Munoz "fell under a clumsy challenge from the otherwise excellent Lewis Hall" before Szoboszlai "smashed the resulting penalty high into the top corner with his right foot." Ladyman wrote that defeat in Iraola's first game "would have weighed heavily," though he cautioned that the problems inherited from Arne Slot "will take a while to solve," pointing to a subdued display from Alexander Isak, who was booed throughout by Newcastle supporters on his return to St James' Park.
Iraola: players 'never gave up'
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola told Sky Sports: "It's the result you want, scoring in the last minute. I value that the players never gave up. I'm sure we had more chances, it's unfair they're winning very early and overall, I think we've had the better chances."
He continued: "We were probably in the first half not finishing anything, we had a lot of balls on the edge but we needed to shoot. We don't finish play and then they win on the counter-attack. The players coming from the bench gave us energy and you can feel the way we want to play."
Gakpo's equaliser
Cody Gakpo's finish to level the score at 1-1 was one of the moments of the afternoon at St James' Park.
A fixture that always delivers late drama
Szoboszlai's penalty made it the fourth consecutive Premier League meeting between Newcastle and Liverpool at St James' Park to be settled or altered by a goal scored in the 90th minute or later. Darwin Nunez scored a late Liverpool winner in August 2023, Newcastle equalised in a 3-3 draw in December 2024, Rio Ngumoha scored a 100th-minute winner in August 2025, and Liverpool's equaliser arrived in the same fashion this time.
Hope: response mattered more than result
Daily Mail Sport's Craig Hope, also reporting from St James' Park, wrote that "for 95 minutes, Newcastle were superb," with the intensity set from kick-off and matched on the pitch. Hope said the result "matters not in some ways for Newcastle" after what he described as a turbulent summer at the club, adding that "the (right) response was there."
Isak and Wirtz struggle again
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, both signed by Liverpool for fees in excess of £100 million, struggled again at St James' Park having looked sharper in pre-season. Isak found it difficult to get involved and produced a poor finish when he did, while Wirtz struggled with the physicality of the Newcastle defence and offered little end product beyond one decent effort.
City and Brighton win their opening games
Elsewhere in the Premier League's early kick-offs, Manchester City beat Bournemouth 2-1. Bournemouth led through Tavernier in the 26th minute, and City also had a goal ruled out for offside, before Guehi equalised in the 85th minute and Josko Gvardiol scored a stoppage-time winner in the first minute of added time.
Brighton thrashed Aston Villa 4-0. Victor Lindelof put through his own net after eight minutes, Maxim De Cuyper doubled the lead in the 18th, Brighton added a third before Jack Hinshelwood made it four in the 31st minute. Villa's Joao Gomes was sent off during the match.
