Liverpool 4-1 Newcastle: Reds back in Champions League contention with comeback victory | OneFootball

Champions needed a response after last weekend’s defeat

Hugo Ekitike showed Newcastle exactly what they missed out on with two goals as Liverpool recorded their first Premier League victory of 2026 with a 4-1 win to move up to fifth in the table.

The France international, who also scored at St James' Park, was the Magpies' primary summer transfer target yet was snatched from under their noses by the defending champions.

They also took Alexander Isak from Tyneside in a British record transfer to rub salt into the wounds but he is still recovering from a broken leg so it was left to Ekitike to pile on the misery.

He took his tally to 15 for the season, reaching double figures in the league, as Liverpool came from behind in a first half which, at times, resembled the chaos of these two clubs' famous encounters of the mid-1990s.

Fans have already started to draw comparisons with Fernando Torres and while that may be premature his finish for the second goal had a touch of the former Spain international who was so beloved here.

Someone else who has also rapidly become a favourite is fellow summer signing Florian Wirtz, whose quick feet set up Ekitike's first and then added the important third.

A tearful Ibrahima Konate scored in added time on his first appearance since the death of his father.

Newcastle, without the creativity of the injured Bruno Guimaraes, looked to physically intimidate with Anthony Gordon booked for a late lunge on goalkeeper Alisson Becker having earlier clattered Alexis Mac Allister.

It was an approach they would maintain throughout the game but with diminishing returns.

After Mohamed Salah had wasted a chance having been sent clear by Dominik Szoboszlai, the last 20 minutes of the half became far too open and that is how Newcastle took the lead and how their hosts snatched it back off them.

Harvey Barnes hit a post and the sense of injustice from the crowd after yet another marginal decision went against them lifted the atmosphere before Nick Pope palmed away Ekitike's chip.

The match had developed into something akin to a basketball game, which suited Newcastle's counter-attacking plan, and from a four-on-four Gordon fired a shot through the legs of Milos Kerkez and across Alisson into the net.

Within five minutes Wirtz's trickery took him past three defenders - leaving Kieran Trippier on his hands and knees - and Ekitike stabbed past Pope. Isak applauded from his seat behind Liverpool's bench.

But better was to come as Kerkez's ball down the line still left Ekitike with plenty to do but he easily skipped past Malick Thiaw and beat Pope with the outside of his right foot.

In his technical area Slot allowed himself a little fist pump.

Five minutes into the second half Ekitike forced Dan Burn into a mistake but screwed wide with only Pope to beat.

But the tone of the game, and Liverpool's season, meant the hosts could not relax and Alisson saved low from Barnes before the offside flag went up.

There was palpable relief when Wirtz exchanged passes with Salah to tuck away off the inside of a post and although Salah's decision-making in front of goal continued to look off as he poked into the side-netting with his left foot when he should have gone with his right, Konate could not miss from close range.