Liverpool Rescued By Late Szoboszlai Penalty As Iraola Era Begins With Wild 2-2 Draw At Newcastle

Andoni Iraola’s competitive Liverpool debut ended in dramatic fashion Sunday as Dominik Szoboszlai’s 98th-minute penalty rescued a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park, denying Newcastle United a statement opening-weekend win. The Magpies led twice through Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock before Lewis Hall’s stoppage-time foul on substitute Victor Munoz gave Szoboszlai the chance to salvage a point in the most chaotic finish imaginable.

The match carried extra weight well beyond a typical Premier League opener. It marked Iraola’s first competitive game in charge of Liverpool since replacing Arne Slot, who was dismissed in June after guiding the club to the title the previous season. It was also the first return to Tyneside for Alexander Isak since his British-record £125 million move to Liverpool last summer, a transfer saga that ended with the striker refusing to train or play for Newcastle before forcing through his deadline-day exit.

Elanga Strikes Early, Isak Booed All Afternoon

Newcastle stunned the visitors inside five minutes when Anthony Elanga raced clear to fire past the Liverpool defense, sending St James’ Park into a frenzy. The hosts, playing under new manager Matthias Jaissle, controlled long stretches of the first half as Liverpool struggled to find rhythm in Iraola’s new setup. Isak, deployed as the central striker, was jeered on every touch from the moment he stepped off the team bus, with chants of “rat” and other X-rated songs raining down from the home end throughout. A crunching challenge that left the striker hurt drew one of the loudest cheers of the day, and Isak later blazed a chance over the bar in the 69th minute to more mockery from the stands. He finished the afternoon well shackled by Newcastle center-backs Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman.

Liverpool responded just after halftime when Cody Gakpo curled a stunning effort into the bottom corner in the 55th minute to level things at 1-1. The equalizer lasted only a couple of minutes. Substitute Joe Willock, released by a brilliant run from Yoane Wissa, finished expertly from the edge of the box in the 57th minute to restore Newcastle’s lead and put Jaissle on the verge of a winning managerial debut of his own.

Szoboszlai’s Late Penalty Steals the Point

Newcastle appeared set to hold on for a signature win until deep into second-half stoppage time. In the 98th minute, Lewis Hall brought down Munoz inside the box, and referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot without hesitation. Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up and blasted the penalty past goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek to complete a stunning 2-2 comeback and silence a stadium that had been roaring for a full-time whistle just moments earlier.

The result leaves both new-look sides with plenty to digest. Iraola’s Liverpool showed resolve in salvaging a point on the road against a team many pundits fancied for an upset, but questions about the team’s early cohesion and defensive shape under the new manager will follow them into midweek preparations. For bettors tracking how the new Liverpool era shapes up against the market, current Premier League odds will offer an early gauge of how sportsbooks are pricing Iraola’s side compared to last season’s title-winning form.

What’s Next for Iraola and Liverpool

Beyond the pitch, Liverpool’s summer transfer business remains a storyline of its own, with reports suggesting a deal sending Bradley Barcola to PSG could be close, while Brighton have been linked with interest in winger Yankuba Minteh. Iraola’s squad also features several other names currently drawing attention, including Ryan Gravenberch, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, all part of the rebuilt group the new manager is tasked with molding into a cohesive unit. A share of the spotlight also fell on Wirtz, who tested Newcastle’s goal early before the game turned into a back-and-forth slugfest.

Iraola will now have a full week to address what went wrong defensively before Liverpool’s next fixture, with the draw serving as an early gut-check for a team that finished last season in disappointing fashion under Slot. For Newcastle, the result stings after twice taking the lead, but Jaissle’s side showed the kind of fight that could make them a tricky opponent all season. Both managers head into their next matches with plenty to prove, and Sunday’s frantic finish only raised the stakes for the rest of the Premier League’s opening weeks.