Goal summary
- Anthony Gordon – 36′ – Newcastle United
- Hugo Ekitike – 41′ – Liverpool (assist: Florian Wirtz)
- Hugo Ekitike – 43′ – Liverpool (assist: Milos Kerkez)
- Florian Wirtz – 67′ – Liverpool (assist: Mohamed Salah)
- Ibrahima Konaté – 90+3′ – Liverpool
Gordon shocks Anfield before Liverpool respond
Newcastle stunned the home crowd when Anthony Gordon struck in the 36′, finishing confidently after bursting beyond Liverpool’s defence. For a brief spell, Eddie Howe’s side dictated the rhythm and threatened to turn Anfield anxious.
That moment, however, sparked Liverpool into life.
Hugo Ekitike turns the match in two minutes
The equaliser arrived in the 41′ as Hugo Ekitike darted across the box to convert after clever work from Florian Wirtz, restoring belief in the home side. Barely two minutes later, in the 43′, Ekitike struck again — racing onto Milos Kerkez’s pass down the left channel and firing across Nick Pope to complete a rapid turnaround.
The finishes drew immediate comparisons with Fernando Torres. Steven Gerrard summed it up simply: “It’s Torres-like. The way he runs the channel and finishes — he reminds me of him every time I watch.”
Wirtz controls the contest after the break
Newcastle struggled to recover after half-time as Liverpool raised the tempo and dominated possession. The third goal arrived in the 67′, when Florian Wirtz combined neatly with Mohamed Salah before gliding through the defence and finishing low into the corner, effectively ending the contest.
Liverpool’s attacking efficiency was underlined by the numbers: they scored four goals from an xG of just 0.92, highlighting the clinical edge that has been missing in recent weeks.
Ibrahima Konaté’s emotional return seals it
The closing moments belonged to Ibrahima Konaté, who returned to the starting line-up after compassionate leave following the passing of his father. In the 90+3′, the centre-back tapped home from close range to make it 4–1, before being embraced by team-mates in a visibly emotional celebration.
Afterwards, Konaté admitted: “I don’t have words to describe what I feel right now. It’s been a very difficult moment for my family, but I wanted to come back and help the team.”
Numbers, momentum and a rare comeback
This was Liverpool’s first Premier League comeback win since April, lifting them above Manchester United and into fifth place. It also marked Ekitike’s 10th league goal of the season, confirming his rapid rise as a focal point of Arne Slot’s attack.
Slot praised the forward’s impact, saying: “From the start everyone could see how special he is — his speed, his finishing, and his work-rate.”
For Newcastle, defeat meant another frustrating away afternoon, undone by a devastating two-minute spell before the break and unable to match Liverpool’s intensity thereafter.
Match verdict
Liverpool rediscovered their attacking identity through the pace and sharpness of Hugo Ekitike, the creativity of Florian Wirtz, and the emotional resilience symbolised by Ibrahima Konaté’s late goal. It was a comeback defined by efficiency, emotion and a glimpse of vintage Anfield swagger.
