Newcastle’s Willock dents Liverpool’s top-four hopes with last-kick leveller
Willock #Willock
Jürgen Klopp claimed his love for the game had remained intact despite the scorn that descended on Liverpool this week for their owners’ part in the Super League fiasco, but sometimes that might also be up for question. His team squandered a hatful of chances at Anfield, survived a ridiculous VAR decision to disallow Callum Wilson’s 92nd-minute goal for Newcastle and then conceded two minutes later to drop more points in their pursuit of Champions League qualification. This time they may be denied a place at Europe’s top table on sporting merit. Fenway Sports Group will perish the thought.
Newcastle substitute Joe Willock struck in the 95th minute, via a deflection off Fabinho, to equalise Mohamed Salah’s early opener and give Steve Bruce’s side the point that may just secure their Premier League survival. In many respects it was deserved. Newcastle survived so many near misses and unnerved the Premier League champions following the introduction of Willock, Wilson and Dwight Gayle, whose header teed up the on-loan Arsenal midfielder for his latest decisive contribution. Liverpool, as in their Champions League exit to Real Madrid, had only themselves to blame.
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Klopp and captain Jordan Henderson used their programme notes to criticise their owners’ decision to join the Super League but also to defend Fenway Sports Group’s ownership of Liverpool. “They are good people and they have been good for Liverpool Football Club,” wrote the manager, who added that his biggest struggle of the week was seeing his club’s reputation “trashed”. His employers in Boston are the only people responsible for that.
Liverpool’s manager called on supporters and media to “calm down” and carry on as normal “because nothing happened.” On this issue he has badly misjudged the anger, desire for widespread change within football and determination to prevent a breakaway being threatened again. The duplicitous and avaricious owners behind the Super League fiasco will have all the encouragement they need to try again should Klopp’s approach prevail.
His fear that unity between Liverpool fans and team will be threatened by the controversy is understandable, given that it has been central to the success he has brought to Anfield, but Klopp can rest easier on that issue. Unlike the massed protests outside Arsenal on Friday, approximately 150 supporters awaited the arrival of the team coach on Anfield Road according to Merseyside Police. Banners calling for FSG to go lined the route while Liverpool flags remained in place on the Kop. Supporters group Spion Kop 1906 vowed to remove the flags in protest at FSG’s greed on Monday but, to the delight of Klopp and his players, reversed the decision following the owners’ latest U-turn.
The game should have provided an immense release for Liverpool after another arduous week not of their own making. They were ahead before Newcastle had managed a meaningful touch of the ball and, inside Anfield at least, the biggest concern for Klopp was the familiar tale of wasted opportunities. Of which there were a ludicrous amount.
Salah gave the hosts a perfect start when capitalising on weak Newcastle defending – another recurring theme – in the third minute. The lively but profligate Sadio Mané created space to cross from the left and the unconvincing Ciaran Clark could only glance an attempted headed clearance on to Salah at the back post. Liverpool’s leading marksman held off Matt Ritchie with ease, turned and swept an unstoppable finish into the roof of Martin Dubravka’s goal. In doing so he became the first Liverpool player in the Premier League era to score 20 league goals in a season for a third time. Robbie Fowler and Luis Suárez achieved the feat twice.
It should have been the first of many. Diogo Jota shot tamely at the Newcastle goalkeeper when picked out unmarked inside the penalty area by Mané. The Senegal international dragged a good chance across goal after leaving a slow Newcastle defence trailing to reach a Salah through ball.
Jota missed a clear sight of Dubravka’s net after Clark made a mess of a goal-kick, gifting Liverpool possession, before the goalkeeper blocked from Salah when he was played clean through by Roberto Firmino’s deft chip over the top. Mané also had time in the first half to run the ball straight into Dubravka’s grasp when found unmarked in the area by Salah, and steer an awkward chance wide from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross.
Newcastle were not permanently fixed on the back foot, however. In Allan Saint-Maximim they possessed the most vibrant forward on the pitch.
Unfortunately for their hopes of regaining a foothold in the game, he had the dreadful Joelinton for support. Saint-Maximin was felled by a cynical early challenge by Ozan Kabak and, once recovered, set about punishing Liverpool defenders at every available opportunity.
Sean Longstaff had the visitors’ first opening when released behind a squad Liverpool defence by Jonjo Shelvey. The midfielder’s low shot was saved by Alisson, who stood up well to Joelinton’s drive early in the second half.
It took Bruce’s triple substitution to inject real menace into the Newcastle attack, however, and an equaliser had been coming when Wilson broke through, saw his initial attempt saved by Alisson, and bundled over the line. VAR disallowed the goal for handball by Wilson, whose arm was by his side when the ball rebounded to him from Alisson’s save, but Newcastle’s burning injustice was lifted by Willock at the death.