Rio Ngumoha's last-gasp heroics steal thriller for Liverpool at Newcastle

The result extended Liverpool's unbeaten run in league head-to-heads against Newcastle to 18 matches, with 13 wins and five draws.

The build-up to the match was dominated by speculation over Newcastle's star striker Alexander Isak, whose potential transfer to Liverpool had been the talk of the summer. Despite the off-field noise, Newcastle's fans rallied behind manager Eddie Howe with a passionate pre-match display, setting the stage for a fiery encounter.

Both teams came out with intensity, trading crunching tackles early on. Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch, back from suspension, picked up a yellow card for a robust challenge, while Newcastle's Anthony Gordon fired three quick chances off-target after dangerous runs into the box.

Despite Newcastle's early dominance, it was Liverpool who struck first against the run of play in the 35th minute. Gravenberch, seizing possession 30 yards out, took one touch before rifling a low shot into the bottom corner past Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope. The goal marked Liverpool's 36th consecutive Premier League game with a goal.

Newcastle's hopes took a further blow just before half-time when Gordon received a red card after a VAR review deemed his sliding tackle on Virgil van Dijk dangerous.

The second half began disastrously for Newcastle, as Liverpool doubled their lead within 20 seconds of the restart. Cody Gakpo's blocked shot fell kindly back to him, and he squared it to Hugo Ekitike, who curled a precise finish into the bottom corner for his third goal in three games since joining Liverpool.

Newcastle, however, refused to capitulate. In the 57th minute, Tino Livramento's pinpoint cross found Bruno Guimarães, who headed home to halve the deficit.

As the game entered its final stages, Newcastle's tenacity paid off. In the 88th minute, a long ball from Pope caused chaos in Liverpool's defense. Dan Burn flicked it on, and William Osula pounced, poking the ball past Alisson for only his second Premier League goal. St James' Park erupted, sensing a hard-fought point.

But Liverpool manager Arne Slot had one final card to play. In the 10th minute of stoppage time, substitute Ngumoha latched onto a low cross from Mohamed Salah and curled a composed finish into the corner, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling fans.

The strike made Ngumoha, at 16 years and 361 days, the second-youngest player to score a Premier League winner, just a day older than Wayne Rooney was for his iconic goal in 2002.

Post-match, Slot praised the youngster's composure, saying, "He had lots of time to think about it, but Ngumoha never doubted himself, never hesitated. It was a finish of pure quality."

Meanwhile, Howe lauded his team's fightback, stating, "We showed incredible spirit to come back with 10 men. The lads gave everything, and we're gutted to lose it at the end."

Ngumoha himself took to X after the match, posting, "Dream come true to score my first Premier League goal and help the team win! Thank you for the support, Reds!"

The victory kept Liverpool's momentum rolling, while Newcastle's resolve, despite the defeat, showed they remain a force to be reckoned with.

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