A Blockbuster in the Offing
St James’ Park was packed to the full as Newcastle United( Magpies ) welcomed Liverpool ( The Reds ) to their home ground in game week 3 of the EPL 23-24 Season. With Newcastle in sublime form ( though they lost narrowly to Manchester City last week ), the match was billed as a blockbuster and an opportunity for the Magpies to get past Liverpool and set a long record straight. And what a match it turned out to be that I had no option but to write about the game as early as possible.
Fluent Newcastle & Gritty Liverpool
I have been impressed by Newcastle and without a doubt, they look a much more fluent, much more intense and much hungrier side. Liverpool also have had a decent start to their campaign this year and they too have looked sharp in the field, therefore it was not going to be an easy match for either of the teams. The match began and for Liverpool, it was the worst start they had ever feared.
A Bad Start for the Reds
Trent Alexander Arnold got into the thick of things with the Magpies, received a yellow card early, and luckily escaped another shortly afterwards. A bit unnerved Alexander Arnold missed a harmless backpass from Salah which set up the extremely impressive Anthony Gordon of the Magpies, who sped away from Alexander Arnold and scored with a deft touch. Newcastle were ahead in the 25th minute and for Liverpool more agony was to follow. Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool’s mainstay in defence and their captain was red carded and sent off for an aggressive tackle and the Reds were reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute. It was looking bleak for the Reds.
Alisson Becker holds Fort for Liverpool
Almiron and Gordon continued their superb run for the Magpies and threatened Liverpool time and again. Still, Alisson Becker stood strong in goal and defied the twosome with some excellent display. The match then turned on its head for Liverpool with the arrival of Darwin Nunez.
A Sublime Nunez, The Hero at St James’ Park
The Uruguayan has always been stunning with his pace, but his finishing has always cast doubts in my mind. But Nunez was about to prove me and several others wrong. In the 81st minute, some sloppy defending from Newcastle allowed Nunez a free ball. He scampered along the turf and shot a first touch cross beating the goalkeeper in a terrific finish. Liverpool had equalised. 12 minutes later, 3 minutes into stoppage time, a Salah piercer of a pass to Nunez, cut through the Newcastle defence and again with his first touch, the Uruguayan scored with aplomb. Liverpool had taken the lead over the stunned Magpies and their fans.
Stunned Magpies
Liverpool were ecstatic with their victory, which came off a brilliant passage of play from Darwin Nunez and the Reds. For the Magpies, they would be rueing a great chance gone a-begging. A loss in concentration in the last few minutes of the game had cost them dearly. The Reds had escaped imminent defeat.
What a game of football and that of sublime skills, great spirit and a never-say-die attitude.
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