Dominik Szoboszlai Shines as Liverpool Draw with Newcastle

Dominik Szoboszlai walked into the noise of St James’ Park and walked out with the ball, the point and, quite possibly, Liverpool’s penalties.

The clock was almost gone, the home crowd baying, the game slipping away. Then Victor Munoz twisted in the box, felt the contact and hit the turf. One last chance. One new taker.

Szoboszlai stepped up, stared it down and ripped his spot-kick into the top corner. No doubt, no hesitation. Alexander Isak watched. Mohamed Salah is gone. The debate over who owns the ball from 12 yards has started.

“I was practising a lot in the pre-season… in training,” Szoboszlai said afterwards, thanking Liverpool’s back-up goalkeepers for the endless repetitions. It showed. Andoni Iraola called it “an almost impossible penalty to stop”. It looked it.

The Hungary international didn’t just claim the penalty. He ran Liverpool’s dead balls all afternoon, on corners and free-kicks, and still had the legs and nerve to take on the biggest moment of the game. For Fantasy managers, that combination of set pieces and penalties at £7.0m will be ringing loudly.

Gakpo lets fly, DefCon delivers

Before Szoboszlai’s late intervention, Cody Gakpo had dragged Liverpool back into it with a different kind of finish. The Dutchman drilled low into the bottom corner from outside the area, a precise, ruthless strike that briefly silenced the home end.

Gakpo was relentless. Six shots, the most of any player in Gameweek 1 so far, and a performance that mixed volume with quality. He later hit the defensive contribution threshold to haul in 12 points, turning a busy display into a serious Fantasy return.

Liverpool peppered the goal. Twenty-seven shots in all. Yet for long spells they still trailed, still looked vulnerable, still left the door open.

Isak muted, Wirtz flat

For Isak, this was supposed to be a homecoming. Instead, it turned into a grind.

Back at St James’ Park, the Sweden international found himself swallowed by the occasion. He was involved in five of Newcastle’s attacking moments, either shooting or creating, but never truly came alive. A header blocked. A shot lashed over from just inside the box. Half-chances, nothing more.

Iraola defended him. “He has tried everything… probably has had a couple of situations to finish inside the box, but probably not the clearest that he wanted or we wanted,” the Newcastle boss said. “He has continued pushing… and I think it’s a good step for Alex for being the first game.”

Florian Wirtz, alongside him in a front two, offered little more. The £7.5m man flashed an early effort that Lukas Hornicek did well to keep out, but his influence faded quickly and he was hooked just after the hour. On this evidence, both still need time to tune into Iraola’s demands.

Liverpool had their own disappointments. Both full-backs struggled, and Rio Ngumoha looked uncomfortable all afternoon on the right. His replacement, Munoz, immediately brought more purpose and directness, eventually drawing the foul that handed Szoboszlai his moment.

At the back, Liverpool’s structure never truly convinced, yet Jeremy Jacquet emerged with credit. The £5.0m defender, short of a proper pre-season, held up reasonably well until his expected withdrawal on 70 minutes.

“Jeremy hasn’t done a proper pre-season, so it was kind of expected he didn’t finish the game,” Iraola explained, praising the energy injected by his substitutes. Liverpool needed every ounce of it.

Wissa runs the show

Strip away the late sting and Newcastle’s performance under new boss Matthias Jaissle carried plenty of promise.

Anthony Elanga struck, Joe Willock came off the bench to score, but Yoane Wissa was the heartbeat. Operating as a No 10 behind Will Osula, he constantly found pockets of space, linked play sharply and repeatedly drove at Liverpool’s back line.

He should have scored. He missed a couple of big chances. Yet his all-round display was outstanding, capped by a superb carry and pass to set up Willock’s goal. The new role suits him – and he knows it.

“With the new role he’s given me it’s given me a lot of confidence,” Wissa said of Jaissle. “The manager expects me to be a leader… winning balls, making sure everyone is going forward, going for the kill, and sometimes just be calm.”

That blend of aggression and control will trouble plenty of teams. Tottenham are next. On this showing, they have been warned. Both Newcastle goals came from fast breaks, with runners spinning in behind and Wissa driving transitions. Any high line that switches off for a second will pay.

Behind him, Hornicek looked assured in goal, Amar Dedic solid at right-back, and Lewis Miley impressed in midfield, especially given his limited pre-season. Jaissle has a spine to build around.

Burn blow and Osula concern

Not all the news was positive for Newcastle. Captain Dan Burn is set to miss the next few weeks after suffering an ankle injury in training. He arrived at St James’ Park on crutches, his right leg in a protective boot, a stark image for a side already reshaping under a new coach.

Osula, lively alongside Wissa, also raised concern. He appeared to be struggling after a collision but pushed on until the 56th minute before finally making way. There was no immediate update on his condition, though Newcastle’s EFL Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion in midweek should bring more clarity in Jaissle’s pre-match press conference.

For Liverpool, the headline is clear: they escaped with a point, but their defensive frailties remain. For Newcastle, the story feels different. A new manager, a new shape, Wissa reborn as a leader between the lines – and Spurs looming.

If this is what Jaissle’s Newcastle look like in week one, how dangerous will they be once the finishing catches up with the football?