Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United: Dominic Scurr reaction

Shields Gazette

Dominic Scurr reacts to Newcastle United's 2-0 Premier League defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were the scorers for the home side.

Transcript

00:00Domsker here at Anfield where Newcastle United have been beaten 2-0 by Liverpool this evening.

00:08Goals from Dominic Sobislai and Alexis McAllister in either half ultimately seeing Newcastle fall 2.

00:14Another defeat here at Anfield which we're more than used to.

00:18For a fixture that's thrown up a lot of drama over the years, a lot of great matches,

00:23this was probably one of the more forgettable ones, one of the more predictable ones as well

00:29where Liverpool were okay, they did what they needed to do, they took the chances that came their way.

00:35Newcastle didn't, only had three shots in the game, failed to register a shot on target.

00:41Obviously the elephant in the room as such, the big blow ahead of the game was no Alexander Isak for Newcastle.

00:48Saw him arrive actually at Anfield so he was here with the squad but not in the matchday squad

00:55which for a player who scored 21 goals this season, he scored in the reverse fixture 3-3

01:03against Liverpool at St James' Park, he scored in his previous two visits here at Anfield.

01:08That was a big blow for Newcastle ahead of the game and starting Callum Wilson up front

01:13where Callum Wilson would know his quality, he would know how good he can be

01:16but he ultimately hadn't started a Premier League game since last May

01:21so some rustiness, lack of sharpness was always going to happen, especially with his fitness issues as well.

01:29So yeah, it was a bit of that from Callum Wilson today, he went through one-on-one twice,

01:34one was offside, the other wasn't or it was very close anyway and he failed to hit the target on both occasions.

01:41So that's all it was really, Newcastle were okay, they were better than they were

01:45against Manchester City in the previous away game.

01:48It was again a little bit, I'm looking at the pitch light, still waiting for Newcastle to do something,

01:54register a shot on target or something but yeah, it was just a predictable game.

01:59Liverpool didn't really have to reach top gear by any means, Newcastle didn't really do an awful lot.

02:06Again, frustrations defensively, I think the first goal in particular was very poor.

02:12Eddie Howe wouldn't say whether Nick Pope was unsighted for the goal, I like to think or like to hope he would have been

02:21because otherwise it's a very, very poor goal to concede.

02:24First shot on target for the second game running, Newcastle have conceded.

02:29Since Nick Pope's return to the side, that's a disappointing start again.

02:33His distribution was probably highlighted as well or lack thereof, highlighted where he kicks the ball off Mo Salah

02:40and then he has another shaky one where he almost under hits it, well he does under hit it

02:45and then Newcastle get away with one again as well.

02:49It's an interesting decision for Eddie Howe, well that Eddie Howe has made,

02:57getting Martin de Bravca out of the side where he hadn't done an awful lot wrong

03:00and then Nick Pope comes back into the side, his last three Premier League games,

03:05and now he's conceded nine goals.

03:10It's an interesting warning now in the build up to the Carabao Cup final,

03:16does Eddie Howe make a U-turn on his decision?

03:21I'd think he probably won't because Nick Pope again has historically been the first choice goalkeeper ahead of Martin de Bravca

03:30although I do think it's been very harsh to remove Martin de Bravca from the starting line-up

03:37when he hadn't done anything wrong really.

03:40Manchester City was a poor result, a 4-0, he was probably at fault for one of the goals

03:45but if you're taking someone out of the side every time they're at fault for a goal,

03:49you probably take half the Newcastle side out for that Manchester City game.

03:54We'll move on, it's Brighton in the FA Cup next on Sunday

04:01and hopefully we'll see Alexander Isak back for that game but no promises.

04:06Eddie Howe said it was a late decision regarding his fitness

04:09and that's part of the reason why he travelled with the squad as well

04:12so again, he's a player Newcastle will absolutely need back in the coming games

04:17and Eddie Howe recognised that, he said part of the decision today was made

04:22because of the games Newcastle have coming up where Brighton in the Cup,

04:26it's a must-win game, the nature of the Cup game,

04:28then West Ham away in the Premier League in 11 days' time

04:32and then it's the big one, Liverpool in the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium

04:36so probably thinking short-term pain for medium to long-term gain for Newcastle

04:42where you rest Alexander Isak tonight, make sure he's right for the crucial games coming up,

04:47make sure he's right for that Carabao Cup final

04:49because starting him tonight, maybe he takes one of those chances Callum Wilson gets

04:55but it's a risk of a potential longer-term injury

05:00and then your Carabao Cup final hopes are severely dented

05:04so I think it's a measured decision Newcastle have made

05:06and one that ultimately, hopefully works in their favour in the three coming games they've got

05:14and if Alexander Isak isn't back for the Brighton game

05:18then at least he's got more than a week to recover for the next Premier League game

05:24against West Ham United in fairly at a win tonight, or tonight's defeat at Anfield

05:31still after the midweek games, leaves Newcastle sixth in the Premier League table

05:37now two points behind Chelsea in fifths, so two points outside the potential Champions League places

05:43which, I mean, if we're looking at the Premier League table

05:47league title sorted, Liverpool 13 points clear

05:50relegation is very, I'd say very close to being tied up in terms of the three teams

05:56who were promoted to the Premier League last season

05:59look like they're going to head straight back down for the second successive season

06:04and yeah, the Champions League places are very interesting indeed

06:08third to sort of 10th, 11th is very, very tight as the lawnmowers come on

06:15so that's my signal to wrap up soon

06:17but this could still be a season to remember for Newcastle United

06:20obviously European places still well up for grabs

06:24but then you're looking at the Carabao Cup final as well

06:27I don't think tonight's game will have too much bear

06:30and Newcastle will be a different side

06:33you'd imagine, you'd hope anyway

06:35Newcastle, they went tonight with a formation change

06:38it's sort of 4-2-3-1 slash 4-4-2

06:41with Anthony Gordon playing through the middle with Callum Wilson

06:45in an ideal world they won't do that in the Carabao Cup final

06:48they'd go back, you'd imagine, to the traditional 4-3-3 that Eddie Howe likes to play

06:53Gordon on the left, Alexander Isak through the middle

06:56and then it's all to play for in the Carabao Cup final

06:59because I think tonight's game you can't really read an awful lot into

07:04I don't think anyone was particularly awful

07:07Sandro Tonali probably at fault for two goals somewhat

07:11in terms of he let Sobizade go for the opener

07:14and then it was his misplaced pass for the second goal that led to it

07:18but it was a misplaced pass round about the halfway line

07:22so not helped by the players around him

07:24still a lot of football to occur between that and Liverpool actually scoring

07:31Bruno again in the midfield

07:33it's a disappointing, frustrating run that he just can't quite step out of at the moment

07:40and I think if there's one player who can take a bit of positivity from the game

07:48and go, yeah, I've not done an awful lot wrong tonight

07:52I'd say it's Lewis Hall and for the second game running

07:55I think he's been Newcastle's best player

07:57because on Sunday against Nottingham Forest

08:00he was the only one who turned up for both halves

08:02he was good in the first half, he was excellent in the second half

08:05whereas a lot of Newcastle players were very good in the first half

08:09didn't turn up in the second half

08:10and then tonight probably one of the hardest jobs in world football

08:14up against Mo Salah, one of the in-form players

08:17or the most in-form player in the Premier League this season

08:20ultimately limited him, stopped his scoring run OK

08:24did get a very good assist Mo Salah

08:26nearly got another one as well with an outside-of-the-foot cross

08:29but ultimately in an attacking sense

08:31in terms of him getting shots away

08:33Lewis Hall did very well dealing with Mo Salah

08:36but ultimately it's another defeat for Newcastle United at Anfield

08:41the wait for a Premier League win here goes on

08:45it's going to be 31 years, going on 32 years by the time we next visit here

08:51and yeah we'll have all the reaction from Eddie Howe over on Shields Gazette

08:57as well as Mouth of the Tyne podcast on X

09:02and from myself at Dom's Skir on X

09:05so reaction from Eddie Howe, player ratings, they're live now

09:09and as well as injury update

09:12and looking ahead to a big game against Brighton, back at St James' Park

09:16on Sunday in the FA Cup fifth round

09:19Cheers

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