Newcastle United somehow threw the game away against Liverpool on Sunday.
Darwin Nunez bagged a quick-fire brace to turn the game around at St James’ Park as Jurgen Klopp’s 10-man side sprang a huge surprise given the context of the game.
Naturally, tempers are high at the moment. To have watched Newcastle fail to break down a team who had their captain sent off in the first-half would have been frustrating enough without the late comeback.
But to leave St James’ with nothing is nothing short of a nightmare considering how the game was going until half-time.
It could have been so different.
Eddie Howe says Alisson pulled off one of the best saves he’s ever seen
Indeed, not only was there an argument to suggest Trent Alexander-Arnold should have been sent off for a second bookable offence in the first-half before Anthony Gordon’s goal, Liverpool could well have conceded more.
Miguel Almiron hit the post in the second-half but, in the first, he struck a sweet volley at goal, only for Alisson Becker to stand tall.
Indeed, Eddie Howe was impressed and said after the game (via the Premier League’s official website): “We had a lot of chances, goalmouth action, and their goalkeeper’s made one of the best saves I’ve ever seen. We needed that second goal, the small things go against you sometimes and that’s what happened. It wasn’t to be.”
Those are the fine margins
Liverpool might have beaten Newcastle again but the games are incredibly tight.
Though that will provide scant consolation right now, it is a reflection on how fine the margins are between the two teams at the moment.
Alisson kept his team in the game, serving as a reminder about the progress Newcastle still need to make.
World class players can do that to a team.
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