Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool: Late Szoboszlai penalty rescues point for Reds at St James' Park

Newcastle and Liverpool served up a breathless start to the Premier League season, sharing four goals and a stoppage-time twist as the visitors snatched a 2-2 draw at St James' Park thanks to a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 90th minute. Newcastle had led twice on home soil but could not hold on, with the champions of last season's title race showing their resolve deep into added time. The result kicks off the new Premier League campaign in dramatic fashion, and both sides will feel there is more to come as the season develops.

Elanga strikes early to set the tone

It took just five minutes for the hosts to find the breakthrough, Anthony Elanga finishing smartly to give Newcastle the perfect start in front of their own supporters. The early goal forced Liverpool onto the back foot, and the visitors' response was littered with early ill-discipline — Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were both booked within a minute of each other on the half hour, with Lewis Miley also shown a yellow card for Newcastle as the game threatened to boil over before the break. Despite the setback, Liverpool's control of possession was evident even in the opening exchanges, and by the interval the visitors were already dominating territory, a pattern that would define much of the afternoon.

Gakpo levels before Willock restores the lead

Liverpool's pressure told just after the hour mark when Cody Gakpo drew the visitors level in the 55th minute, continuing his fine start to the campaign with his first goal of the tournament. Newcastle responded almost instantly, making a double substitution at the break of that spell with Sandro Steur and William Osula introduced, and within a minute Joe Willock had restored the home side's advantage, poking home in the 57th minute to send St James' Park into raptures once more. It was a breathless five-minute passage of play that summed up the pace and unpredictability of this Matchweek 1 fixture.

Liverpool push men forward and reap the numbers

Arne Slot's side responded to falling behind again by throwing on fresh legs, with Rio Ngumoha and Florian Wirtz both introduced just after the hour, followed later by Josh Jacquet and Ryan Gravenberch as Liverpool chased the equaliser. The visitors' dominance was reflected clearly in the underlying numbers: Liverpool finished with 60% of possession, 26 shots to Newcastle's 13, and six corners to the hosts' two, though the expected goals figures — 1.44 to 1.42 — showed just how tightly balanced the contest really was in terms of genuine chance quality. Newcastle, for their part, made changes of their own late on, with Elanga and Miley both withdrawn in the 76th minute as Eddie Howe looked to manage the closing stages and protect the lead.

Szoboszlai's penalty snatches a share of the spoils

The game's discipline continued to fray as full time approached. Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy were both booked for Newcastle either side of the hour, while Virgil van Dijk and Newcastle goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček both picked up yellow cards in the very last minute as tempers ran high. It was in that same frantic passage that Liverpool were awarded a penalty, and Dominik Szoboszlai kept his cool to slot it away and secure a share of the points deep into stoppage time. Newcastle's final substitution, Yoane Wissa returning to the fray in the 90th minute, came too late to influence the outcome. At the other end, Newcastle's goalkeeping options of Horníček and Ewen Jaouen, and Liverpool's Giorgi Mamardashvili and Alisson, were kept busy throughout an afternoon that produced eleven combined saves and plenty of end-to-end action.

A point apiece, but plenty to build on

Both managers will take something from this opening-day thriller. Newcastle showed the attacking verve that has become their trademark under Howe, with Elanga and Willock both off the mark for the season, while Liverpool's strength in depth off the bench and their composure under pressure via Szoboszlai's spot kick suggest they remain formidable title contenders. With the Golden Boot race already featuring the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland setting a blistering early pace elsewhere in the competition, both sets of forwards here will know they have work to do to keep pace. For now, honours are even, and both clubs will look to the rest of the fixture list to kick on — full coverage and reaction available on the goals2026 news page.