Liverpool began the Andoni Iraola era with a dramatic 2-2 draw at Newcastle United on Sunday. Cody Gakpo's drilled effort cancelled out Anthony Elanga's early opener, before Dominik Szoboszlai converted a 99th-minute penalty after Joe Willock had made it 2-1 in the second half.
Penalty drama and defensive concerns
Paul Joyce, of The Times, wrote: "After first heading over to acknowledge the Liverpool supporters still celebrating up in the gods, Andoni Iraola then marched towards the tunnel and was deep in conversation with Dominik Szoboszlai as he did so."
"How to take the perfect penalty probably came up given the nerveless manner in which one of his new vice-captains had thrashed a 99th-minute spot kick into the top corner to eke out a point. The challenge Szoboszlai, and countless others, failed to put in on Yoane Wissa in the build-up to Newcastle United’s second goal? Well, that was a conversation for another time."
Joyce added: "Preferably today, tomorrow and the day after until Liverpool start to take their responsibilities with regard to the art of defending a little more seriously. Another dramatic denouement in this fixture at least demonstrated a desire to push to the end, but the focus for Iraola must now be strengthening the soft underbelly which will check another season’s ambitions until it is rectified."
Newcastle's near miss and Liverpool's midfield issue
On the pages of The Telegraph, Dominic King penned: "It had to end that way, didn’t it? A last-minute goal, a sense of what might have been and a helter-skelter contest that will take days to decipher."
King noted: "Newcastle versus Liverpool became the Premier League’s most dramatic fixture when Kevin Keegan was manager here and, on the afternoon they flocked to the 'cathedral on the hill' to pay tribute to the late, great superstar, we were treated to a contest that was in keeping with his narrative."
Writing for The Independent, Richard Jolly mused: "For Liverpool and Newcastle alike, the new came with certain lashes of the old, and not merely Szoboszlai’s relish for the occasion. Liverpool had (Alexander) Isak’s latest ineffectual showing. Newcastle conceded too many injury-time goals last season and began the current campaign with another."
The Daily Mail's Lewis Steele reflected: "The chief problem for new boss Andoni Iraola was the midfield – or lack thereof. Both goals were accomplished counter-attacks from Newcastle but both were highly preventable as Liverpool were cut through at ease."
Steele added: "Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz and late hero Dominik Szoboszlai are all incredibly talented footballers. But do they work as a midfield three? They are all more naturally inclined to be attack-minded and the back door is left ajar to let teams punish them."
He continued: "This summer has been all about replacing Mohamed Salah, who scored on his Trabzonspor league debut on Sunday, but why has there been no attempts to sign a midfielder? It is not like this is a new problem. Alexis Mac Allister and Gravenberch were both poor for the entirety of last season and Liverpool have needed a deep-lying player since Fabinho left in the summer of 2023."
Transfer priorities and ECHO verdict
Steele concluded: "It is now over to those upstairs to ensure the impressive Iraola has the tools to thrive this season, as the bench looked weak. A winger or two would be great but a new holding midfielder should join the wide forwards at the top of that shopping list."
The ECHO's verdict reads: "If Liverpool's recruitment team are smart, Dominik Szoboszlai's impeccable penalty that earned a 2-2 draw here at Newcastle United won't factor into their thinking this next week or so. For supporters, their mood on the long journey back towards Merseyside will have been immeasurably improved by Szoboszlai's near-perfect penalty in the 99th minute, of course."
"But the smash-and-grab nature of the Reds' latest dramatic intervention at St James' Park should not influence a department who have much work to do to furnish head coach Andoni Iraola with the sort of squad he needs to make sure there is no hangover from last year's deeply troubled term. Those who are tasked with adding to the Liverpool squad before the 11pm deadline on September 1 should not be thrown off course by what should ultimately be viewed as a creditable draw to kick off the Iraola era."
"Because this squad is nowhere near complete and the coming days are critical as a result. Iraola, in full fairness to him, hasn't shied away from the fact that he needs more, speaking quite openly about the club's determination to add some wingers to the ranks before deadline day. But on this evidence, Liverpool need to reassess the idea that they are not in need of a defensive-minded midfielder who will allow the more creatively gifted talents to thrive further forward."
