Dominik Szoboszlai's 99th-minute penalty earned Liverpool a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United, but the result should not mask the squad's incomplete state ahead of the September 1 transfer deadline.
The Hungarian midfielder's near-perfect spot-kick, awarded after substitute Victor Munoz was hauled down by Lewis Hall, secured a point in the Andoni Iraola era's opening game. It was the fourth consecutive meeting between the sides at St James' Park to feature a decisive goal in the dying moments, following Darwin Nunez's late brace in 2023, Fabian Schar's equaliser in December 2024, and Rio Ngumoha's 100th-minute winner 12 months ago.
Defensive Midfield Concerns
Both Newcastle goals came from blistering counter-attacks that could have been stopped at source had someone sensed danger earlier. The Reds' engine room is too easy to march through, a vulnerability evident throughout pre-season, and the club should reassess the idea that they do not need a defensive-minded midfielder.
Liverpool will insist they do not need a Curtis Jones replacement and will argue they won the Premier League title in 2025 without an enforcer-style midfielder. But signing a high-class 'No.6' should be on the to-do list before next month begins, preventing the team's soft underbelly from being exposed to greater damage.
Winger Search Continues
The right-sided combination of Rio Ngumoha and Jeremie Frimpong toiled, with the search for Mohamed Salah's successor ongoing. Yankuba Minteh is the latest target, but Brighton want £70m for the Gambia international. The club's failure to act more decisively earlier left Iraola naming Ngumoha in an unfamiliar role; the 17-year-old looks more at home on the left, while Frimpong offered little in the final third and was bullied at times by Harvey Barnes.
After Cody Gakpo had brilliantly restored parity in the second half, Liverpool conceded just two minutes later when substitute Joe Willock finished after Yoan Wissa, like Osula in the first half, had been allowed to carry the ball to the danger zone. The sight of Lewis Koumas being sent on to save the day indicated the squad's current state, and neither Federico Chiesa nor Harvey Elliott were involved, which seems ominous for both at this late stage of the window.
Deadline Day Ahead
Efforts to sign Minteh will drag into next week, and there is hope that a breakthrough in the Bradley Barcola saga at Paris Saint-Germain can be belatedly found. For now, Iraola looks ahead to Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday still without the wingers he has craved all summer.
The draw is a solid enough start, but it should not fool sporting director Richard Hughes and those whose primary task is to bring players to the football club, Iraola included.
