Liverpool acquired their 2026/27 Premier League season off to a rocky begin at Newcastle.
A late penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai gave Andoni Iraola’s aspect a degree they may not essentially have deserved.
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Objectives from Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock twice put the Toon within the lead – with the opener being cancelled out by Cody Gakpo.
Iraola will be pleased about a cameo from Spain FIFA World Cup winner Victor Munoz – whose tempo and business earned the spotkick in added time.
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Liverpool crying out for pure No6
On this displaying nevertheless it should take time to get this Liverpool precisely the place the Basque tactico desires it. The proof was there as early because the fifth minute when Elanga gave Newcastle the lead.
Szoboszlai and midfield accomplice Ryan Gravenberch had been each caught out upfield for a Magpies counter – with Florian Wirtz showing because the deepest chasing midfielder.
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That spelt catastrophe for the Reds with Swede Elanga making no mistake after beating Milos Kerkez in a foot race.
Szoboszlai and Gravenberch caught out
Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet had been left with zero safety from the midfield on that counter – and it wasn’t the one event the place Szoboszlai or Gravenberch or each had been caught too excessive up the pitch.
Liverpool have made the choice to keep away from paying for a specialist No6 on this summer time’s switch window. Having spent £100m on Munoz and Jacquet cash is at a premium and more likely to go in any case on a brand new winger or two.
The Anfield membership have been making noise about trusting Wataru Endo as a deputy whereas Trey Nyoni is ready to characteristic a bit extra underneath Iraola.
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It is negligent nevertheless for sporting director Richard Hughes to finish up with a midfield as unbalanced as this one – particularly having offered Curtis Jones to Inter Milan for £30m.
Loads of midfielders had been out there
Liverpool are crying out for a pure defensive midfielder. For all their qualities neither Gravenberch nor Szoboszlai are comfy sufficient to play on the base of midfield. An alternative choice – Alexis Mac Allister – would not reply the query both.
In a summer time the place a number of high midfield signings have been accomplished across the Premier League it is scarcely plausible that Liverpool have stayed out of the races.
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That call might backfire for Iraola because the season goes on and the defence turns into more and more uncovered.
Richard Hughes could have high-tailed it to Saudi Arabia by that time and will probably be the Spanish supervisor who can be left to face the music.