Relief for Iraola but Liverpool have work to do after snatching draw at Newcastle
Liverpool secured a late 2-2 draw against Newcastle in a Premier League match, with Dominik Szoboszlai scoring a 99th-minute penalty. Despite the result, manager Andoni Iraola acknowledged the team's need for greater squad depth and improved creativity.
Why it matters
The match reflects the high-stakes nature of professional football and the ongoing scrutiny of team performance and transfer strategies.
Figure caption, Highlights: Late penalty saves point for Liverpool
Football reporter Published 23 August 2026 When Liverpool came to Newcastle last August, there was utter jubilation as Rio Ngumoha scored a remarkable 100th-minute winner.
They scored late again this time around, through Dominik Szoboszlai's 99th-minute penalty, but it felt more like a sense of relief than joy as they rescued a point.
Andoni Iraola said afterwards that his side did not deserve to lose and, to their credit, they never gave up as they earned a 2-2 draw .
A defeat would have been Liverpool 's first on the opening weekend since 2012-13. A draw will do wonders for their spirit but it will certainly not mask their concerns.
"It's probably not the result you want when you come in before the game but we definitely deserve this point and even more," Iraola told BBC Radio 5 Live.
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