The venom was already large for 90 minutes, but in the injury time there was extra venom in the tail. In the game, Liverpool gave a 2-0 lead against ten men, but in injury time the 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha decided the duel in favor of Liverpool.
Refree: 16-year-old talent shoots Liverpool in extremis to spectacular victory over Newcastle United
Giving away a comfortable lead was initially a big disappointment for the champion of England. Because thanks to a great bang from Ryan Gravenberch, Liverpool first took a 1-0 lead in a phase that Gordon was already twice close to a goal and the home club with all his aggression and power was the parent party. Arbiter Simon Hooper fell short of eyes and ears to watch everything during 90 truly deafening minutes.
In that atmosphere, the already fanatic Gordon lost its way and decided to kick a furious sprint of Dijk from behind the moment it wanted to give a pass in the structure. It was a moment of madness, in which Liverpool’s Dutch captain asked Gordon what inspired him. A similar action by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford cost Van Dijk a few seasons a year of his career and the European Championship in 2021.
For Newcastle United coach Eddie Howe, who was in control of Liverpool and Slot in the League Cup final at Wembley last season, it meant a big slap. The second sacrifice received Howe when Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitiké entered the 0-2 on a pass from Cody Gakpo. Strangely enough, that only caused more noise in the stadium, where Howe decided to play everything or nothing. That immediately yielded a connection goal from Bruno Guimaraes: 1-2. In the final minutes, a heavy offensive also yielded the 2-2 of substitute William Osula, but the guts of Slot to use a youth player in such a hectic phase actually paid: 2-3.
Ryan Gravenberch welcomes after his opening goal. © ANP/HH
The Newcastle stadium was described by a British commentator at the start of the competition as a fireworks factory. Someone who walked around with a burning cigarette could let the whole thing explode. That careless dumbbell turned out to be Gordon, the man who had to replace the absent top scorer Alexander Isak.
In England it was Bank Holiday Monday this Monday and it was also 28 degrees. Reason for around 50,000 supporters, who went to visit the squatter of their club against Liverpool, to put it on all day with all possible pubs. It created a more than exuberant atmosphere on the stiffly sold -out St. James’ park, because even without all the rich foaming moisture, things were already on sharp.
‘Perfect’ Jurriën Timber receives a 10: ‘You can’t desire more’
That of course had everything to do with the heavy flirt from Liverpool with Isak, who has wanted to leave for the team of Arne Slot since the middle of the summer. Liverpool has more than 120 million euros left to add him to the selection, in which Ekitiké is already doing so well in the point of the attack, but Slot thinks that with the Champions League he cannot lean on one finish.
Arne Slot missed the 0-2 from Hugo Ekitike, who fell soon after the break. © ANP/HH
Isak refused to travel with Newcastle to Asia in preparation, then issued an official statement that the club had to let him go and also no longer wanted to train with his teammates. It has degenerated into one big chaos, because both the club and its own supporters find the Swedish top scorer a thankless employee. After all, Isak already earns a million salary at Newcastle and is under contract for another three years.
Wayne Rooney critically about striking Alexander Isak, Newcastle striker outside selection against Liverpool: “As a teammate I wouldn’t want him back”
And now it comes, he is in a football club that is in the hands of Arabs. Stone and stone-rich Arabs who were also on the Er terrace again last night and who want to compete with their team themselves for the title and want to end up in the Champions League. In no way, they have told Isak, they will participate in a sale to the Champion of England.
So Isak was still not on the field on Monday evening, not in the Liverpool shirt, not in the Newcastle shirt. He was sitting at home in front of the tube and what everyone actually wondered was who is Isak now that there would win.
The attacker will have ‘mixed feelings’, as it is called in England, left from the competition. Because if his transfer does not come, he will really have to join his teammates after 1 September and first have to offer deep apologies.