Liverpool 4-1 Newcastle: Ekitike double inspires important win over Magpies | OneFootball

A quickfire brace from Hugo Ekitike inspired Liverpool to a 4-1 comeback win over Newcastle United at Anfield to return to fifth in the Premier League.

Former Evertonian Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for the visitors, before Ekitike turned the game on its head with two quickfire goals minutes before half time.

Florian Wirtz went from provider to scorer before Ibrahima Konaté’s stoppage-time goal extend the Reds’ unbeaten run against the Magpies, now 10th and in danger of dropping further, to 19 top-flight matches.

As it happened

Gordon got stuck in immediately, as replays showed him lashing out and catching Alexis Mac Allister with his hand before being booked for sliding in late on Liverpool keeper Alisson.

Hugo Ekitike tried his luck from distance with his left foot, but Nick Pope – whose penalty save proved crucial in the Magpies’ 1-1 draw with Paris Saint Germain – saved comfortably.

But Newcastle’s tails were up 20 minutes in when Mo Salah was played through and had almost the entire half to himself, but Kieran Trippier recovered well to cut out the danger.

Newcastle kept up their brave start, and were almost rewarded when Harvey Barnes was tripped by Ryan Gravenberch in a central position and whipped the free kick against the post.

The end-to-end game grew more unpredictable after half an hour, as Gravenberch poked it through to Ekitike only for the Frenchman’s chip to be thwarted by the right glove of Pope.

Down the other end, Joe Willock spearheaded a counter attack, rolling the ball onto Barnes before he found pantomime villain Gordon, who arrowed the shot into the bottom left.

But Liverpool wouldn’t back down, and were soon level courtesy of Ekitike tapping home after Florian Wirtz danced past several challenges towards the byline on the left.

Then a brilliant ball to Ekitike by Milos Kerkez from inside his own half had the talisman in behind again just two minutes later, bursting past Malick Thiaw and finding the bottom right corner with the outside of his boot.

Ekitike missed a great chance to round off a magnificent hat-trick six minutes into the second half, racing onto a high ball up the pitch and shooting wide of Pope’s goal.

Alisson showed his own goalkeeping credentials, getting down superbly to deny a powerful half volley from Barnes, unaware that the flag had raised for an offside.

The home side then put daylight between themselves and Newcastle as Thiaw gave away to Cody Gakpo, moving it on to Wirtz who exchanged a one-two with Salah and slotted into the bottom left corner.

With that assist, Salah became the first Liverpool player to reach double figures for goals and assists against a specific team, harking back to the likes of Luis Suarez tormenting Norwich City many seasons prior.

The Egyptian came close to a fourth with just over 20 minutes left, running in behind onto Gakpo’s through ball and toe-poking the shot just wide of Pope’s near post.

Liverpool cruised through the closing stages of the match, with Gakpo working hard on the left and ghosting past substitute Jacob Murphy in stoppage time before his cut-back was diverted behind.

The stars then aligned when centre-back Konaté side-footed the loose ball into the net from the corner after Pope dropped his catch, following on from the sad passing of his father which ruled him out of the Bournemouth clash.

A tasteful rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ rung out around Anfield, as the final whistle signaled the end to an entertaining game of football and deserved win for Arne Slot’s men, putting them a point ahead of rivals Man United in sixth.

Liverpool analysis: Could Ekitike and Isak coexist in starting eleven?

With Anthony Gordon setting the spectacle in motion at Anfield, in part due to his previous affiliation with Everton, there was a former Magpie missing from the action would’ve had a very similar reception from those sat in the away end.

No prizes are on offer for identifying that former Magpie as Alexander Isak.

After a fast start to life in a Liverpool shirt for Hugo Ekitike, scoring in all of his first three competitive matches, he found himself benched upon the Swedish striker’s arrival. Unsurprisingly, it’s clear that Arne Slot would rather play Isak than not – no doubt an assurance regarding his playing time that enabled his move.

But with Ekitike firing off on all cylinders, can the pair exist on the same pitch at the same time once Isak recovers from having broken in leg against Spurs?

In the build up to his second goal this evening, Ekitike seemed comfortable peeling off the left wing and carrying the ball towards goal and past Malick Thiaw.

Liverpool, and Arne Slot, have long been playing with goalscoring threats playing out wide, something the modern game has also seen in a general shift away from conventional number nines being the only or main source of goals in a side.

With the balance, dribbling, and general ball manipulation that Ekitike is capable of, he may well prosper out wide as part of the Reds’ system. Don’t believe me? He registered the highest combined expected goals and assists (26.61) in the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.

Having struggled at times as the lone all-out striker, it may even help any confidence issues Isak may face in being relied on for goals on the back of a lengthy spell on the sideline.

Newcastle analysis: Howe attempts to address away form with more aggressive tactics

Not only have Newcastle struggled against Liverpool specifically, with their winless run against the Reds dating back to 2015 now the second-longest Premier League runs without a win, but also away from home.

They’ve failed to score in six occasions on the road this season, and sit 13th the Premier League on away form alone – with 10 of their 33 points collected away from St. James’ Park.

In past games, Eddie Howe has opted to go for a back three and four across the midfield, including his wing backs, in anticipation of the home advantage their opponents have.

But it was a different story tonight, going with a back four featuring the forward-thinking Kieran Trippier and Lewis Hall, placing the attacking responsibility on Anthony Elanga, Harvey Barnes, and Anthony Gordon.

Barnes and Gordon were both involved in their opener that made their ambitions clear to their fellow chasers of European football. And had it not have been for Ekitike’s brace reversing the script entirely, Howe’s formation – together with the bite in Newcastle’s tackles and general physicality – may well have started to right their away wrongs.