Newcastle United were unable to capitalize on an encouraging start as Liverpool won 4-1 at Anfield, with key moments before the break proving decisive.
Anfield is the away game where United are not having success, despite playing well at times and putting pressure on their hosts. Last night was a similar story.
Eddie Howe’s side started the match with purpose, pressing in midfield and defending compactly, quickly regaining possession when the ball was lost and attacking Liverpool’s backline.
Virgil van Dijk had to be alert to prevent Anthony Gordon’s cross from reaching an unmarked Barnes in front of the Liverpool goal and he was called upon again to block big Dan Burn from a Barnes cross, who then sent a curling free-kick against the post with Alisson well beaten, having been tripped just outside the box by Ryan Gravenberch.
To the goal. A quick transition allowed Joe Willock to carry the ball with conviction, before his cross eventually found Anthony Gordon, whose calm finish put us ahead.
In fairness, Newcastle stifled Liverpool for much of the first half and were competitive all over the park.
Just before half-time, however, the momentum changed when one-time transfer goalkeeper Hugo Ekitike (who else?) scored twice in three minutes.
Liverpool’s equalizer came when a quick passage of play pulled our defense out of shape, giving Etikite space to finish from close range. That lesson was subsequently ignored as another lapse in concentration allowed the French striker to attack Kerkez’s long ball from defense to double his return.
It was a terrible way to end the first half and whether it was fatigue on our part, or whether the hosts, buoyed by those fine margins, went their way before the break, the second half saw Newcastle forced to play deeper.
That said, Barnes was denied an equalizer when Alisson made a great save, but with Liverpool on the rise it felt like a huge missed opportunity.
And so it turned out. Ekitike could have scored a hat-trick when he took advantage of a Burn slip, but he curled his shot wide of Pope’s far post before Florian Wirtz added a third as Liverpool broke purposefully after Thiaw gave the ball away close to the halfway line.
The fourth, which was scored in time, was the result of a mistake by Nick Pope, who dropped the ball from a corner and Konate was able to cross the ball in for the Kop.
While the final result is obviously hugely disappointing, it perhaps reflects Liverpool’s clinical edge in decisive moments, rather than a lack of competitiveness from United.
That Liverpool have struggled to show this Premier League form of late until they face us is one of those Arthur C Clarke mysteries.
We go to the Etihad on Wednesday looking to overturn a two-goal deficit to advance to a third Wembley final in four years. That place is another area where we always get out of trouble, but I bet if we can be as competitive as we were in the first 40 minutes at Anfield, you just never know.
Liverpool 4 Newcastle 1 – Saturday January 31, 2026 8:00 PM
Match statistics
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Gordon 36
Liverpool:
Ekickic 41, 43, Willzz 67, collet 90+3
Possess was Newcastle 46% Liverpool 54%
Total shots were Newcastle 8 Liverpool 17
Shots on target were Newcastle 2 Liverpool 7
Corners were Newcastle 11 Liverpool 7
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 21Liverpool 41
Newcastle team vs Liverpool:
Pope, Trippier (Osula 84), Thiaw, Burn, Hall (Alex Murphy 89), Tonali, Ramsey, Willock (Woltemade 73), Elanga (Jacob Murphy 73), Barnes (Wissa 73), Gordon
Unused subs:
Ramsdale, Botman, Miley, Shahar
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