Newcastle United

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle had just suffered a painful defeat right at the death - only you would not have known it. Not by the standing ovation the Geordies afforded their exhausted side at full-time against Liverpool.

Newcastle had run the champions mighty close - and the home support recognised that.

After going 2-0 down and with Anthony Gordon dismissed, it had previously felt a long way back for the 10 men. The away end even felt emboldened enough to chant about Alexander Isak as they asked Newcastle to "hand him over".

Yet the spirited hosts rallied.

Bruno Guimaraes' header reignited the stadium as the captain waved his arms up and down and whipped up the fans after pulling a goal back.

Suddenly it felt like Newcastle were playing with a man advantage at a raucous St James' Park as they swarmed Liverpool and made them retreat.

They would lose Sandro Tonali and Joelinton to injury as well, but still Eddie Howe's side kept scrapping as an unlikely scorer stepped up.

Unlikely may seem a strange word to use to describe a striker, but substitute Osula had only previously bagged one top-flight goal for Newcastle, against Ipswich Town in April, since his arrival from Sheffield United last year.

It has got to the stage where Gordon, a winger by trade, has been picked ahead of the Dane in attack. Yet Osula thought he had snatched a point for his side - only for Rio Ngumoha to score a last-gasp winner.

It was a hammer blow for Newcastle, who will somehow have to regroup and lift themselves for a trip to Leeds United on Saturday - and Howe needs a breakthrough in his search for a striker.

Newcastle, after all, are unable to count on one of the world's best centre-forwards in Isak, and will be without the suspended Gordon for the next three games.

Their search for a replacement for Callum Wilson also goes into the final week of the window after bids for Wolves forward Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brentford's Yoane Wissa were rejected.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, speaking to BBC Match of the Day on Monday's dramatic 3-2 defeat by Liverpool: "It was a great performance from the players, both first and second half in very different ways.

"First half, we thought we dominated the game. We were in a great place with just the goal missing.

"Second half, we had a mountain to climb at 2-0 down with 10 men, but I thought we controlled the game. I thought we were really good and fought our way back unbelievably well but couldn't get over the line to get a point.

"It's tough to play against 11 men, especially against a team with the quality of Liverpool. The first goal was key - it gave us belief, got us back into the match and we always felt if the margin was one we'd be able to get something from the match."

On the injuries: "I don't know with Joe [Joelinton] and Sandro [Tonali]. It doesn't look good when a player comes off, especially because both looked in a little bit of pain. It would be huge blow for us if they're not available. Anthony [Gordon] will be suspended and Fabian [Schar] had concussion, so not good."

On Gordon's red card: "I've only seen it once back and it was very quick as the game was going on. I think Anthony was going in full blooded into the challenge and he's tried to pull out and slipped, and his momentum has taken him in. It didn't look good but I don't think there was any intent."

Did you know?

• Newcastle scored two goals in a Premier League game after having a player sent off for the first time since May 2016 against Tottenham (three goals, 5-1 win).

• Only against Manchester City (22 between 2006 and 2018) have Newcastle endured a longer winless run in league football than they have against Liverpool (18 - also 18 against Manchester United between 2002 and 2011).

• Bruno Guimaraes made his 66th consecutive start for Newcastle in the Premier League, the most of any player for the club, moving beyond Danny Simpson's 65 in 2012.

Hear more from Howe on BBC Sounds

Wolves will hand striker Jorgen Strand Larsen a new contract after rejecting a £50m bid from Newcastle, but could still be tempted to sell the 25-year-old Norway international if they receive an offer in excess of £75m. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Larsen is keen to move to Newcastle and the Magpies are weighing up another bid, but he is not viewed as a direct replacement for Alexander Isak. (The I - subscription required), external

Newcastle officials, including co-owner Jamie Reuben, have spoken to Isak at his home in an attempt to convince the striker to stay at the club and return to Eddie Howe's squad despite Liverpool's interest. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Newcastle's performance

What did you make of Liverpool's display?

Come back to this page on Tuesday to find a selection of your replies

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has named an unchanged side after the 0-0 draw at Aston Villa on the opening day.

New signing Jacob Ramsey is named on the bench for the first time after his move from Aston Villa.

Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento, Joelinton, Tonali, Guimaraes, Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.

Subs: Ramsdale, Hall, Botman, Thiaw, Osula, Murphy, Willock, Ramsey, Miley.

Arne Slot has made two changes to the Liverpool side who took three points against Bournemouth on the opening day.

Jeremie Frimpong misses out with a hamstring injury while Alexis Mac Allister is set to become a parent for the first time.

Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch come into the starting XI.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Jones, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Gakpo, Salah, Ekitike.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Bradley, Endo, Chiesa, Leoni, Elliott, Robertson, Ngumoha.

Newcastle haven't won against Liverpool in the Premier League since 2015.

Can they end the run tonight at St James' Park?

Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

What a time this is for Hugo Ekitike to be making his first visit to St James' Park after Liverpool won the race, ahead of Newcastle United, to sign the French forward last month.

Ekitike is a player Magpies boss Eddie Howe knows well and, without blinking, he can reel off a concise scouting report: really good movement, intelligent, good in the air, scores goals off both feet. That was the lowdown. That was why Newcastle wanted him.

"There's no doubt I really like Hugo and have done for a number of years," Howe said. "He was someone we tracked for a long time."

That is an understatement.

In fact, Newcastle attempted to sign Ekitike on three separate occasions over a three-and-a-half-year period.

The Magpies made their first move in January 2022 when Ekitike was not exactly a household name.

But the 23-year-old always had immense potential.

Few know that better than former Brighton manager Oscar Garcia, who worked with Ekitike at Reims at the time.

"You do not find many strikers like him at that age," Garcia recently told Sky Sports.

"He is tall, fast, mobile, very good one against one, holds the ball and scores goals. He can fit with teams that play more on the counter-attack, but also with teams with more possession because he has the skill for both styles.

"Hugo knows which aspects he can improve on, but he also needs help to develop his potential to reach the level that all the people who know him believe he can reach."

Newcastle were not alone among Premier League clubs in recognising those qualities, however.

Liverpool had also been tracking Ekitike for some time after the striker rediscovered his spark at Eintracht Frankfurt following a frustrating spell at Paris St-Germain.

Newcastle may have made the opening offer to Eintracht last month, but Ekitike had his sights set on a £69m move to Anfield after previously speaking to Reds boss Arne Slot.

It proved a significant moment in the transfer window. In more ways than one.

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Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There can be little doubt that Liverpool's signing of Hugo Ekitike had a knock-on effect on the Alexander Isak saga.

If Newcastle had signed Ekitike, the club would have had a potential successor already in the building and time left to bring in an additional striker to replace Callum Wilson, who left last month.

However, having also subsequently missed out on Benjamin Sesko, who joined Manchester United, Newcastle are facing a race against the clock to recruit even one centre-forward before the close of business on 1 September – let alone two.

No wonder the club do not foresee the "conditions" of Isak's sale being met in the final throes of the window.

And that is before mentioning the prospect of Liverpool making an improved bid for Isak that actually gives Newcastle a decision to make, when the Magpies have held firm to date.

Arne Slot, understandably, would not be drawn on the possibility of the Anfield club returning to the table for Isak.

But the Liverpool manager appreciates what lies in wait at St James' Park - regardless of the backdrop to the game.

Newcastle's victory over Liverpool in last season's Carabao Cup final underlines the size of the visitors' task on Tyneside.

"It's nothing to do with anything that's in the media," Slot said. "If you go to Newcastle, you know what to expect.

"We played them three times last season and their intensity levels were twice above ours. In the away game [a 3-3 draw in December], especially the first 60 minutes, they were so intense. They fully deserved the lead, and in the League Cup final they were more intense than us.

"So I don't think they need anything to add if they play at St James' Park."

Image source, Getty Images

All eyes will be on St James' Park on Monday as Newcastle host Liverpool in the Premier League.

And as the Alexander Isak saga roles on, former England captain Wayne Rooney predicts the match will have even more emotion and ferocity behind it.

"It's a big game." he said on The Wayne Rooney Show. "Historically, throughout the Premier League years, there's been some great games between the two teams.

"It's going to be a hostile atmosphere, for sure, and it's so loud as an away player.

"If Newcastle fans are on it, you can't hear the away fans, and sometimes in away games you need your fans to pull you through tough moments in games. So it's difficult when you can't hear them.

"With everything that's gone on over the summer with Isak, I think Newcastle fans will be right up for it.

"It's a Monday night, bank holiday Monday night too, so I'm sure the Newcastle fans will have enjoyed the day as well!"

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Matty Renton
Fan writer

Find more from Matty Renton at The Magpie Channel, external

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Jordan Chamberlain, Liverpool fan writer

Liverpool are in a tricky situation. Despite apparently 'winning the transfer window' with monster deals for Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and others, the Reds are going into the second weekend of the season worryingly short in attack.

We've sold Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, while tragically losing Diogo Jota. Ekitike doesn't cover all three. Liverpool have seemingly put all our eggs into Alexander Isak's basket. While the striker is desperate to come, Newcastle United, who have failed in all their attempts to buy replacements, have doubled down on their going nowhere stance.

Liverpool usually wait to get the right player instead of buying stopgaps. And for this reason, I see Isak signing in January. The situation mirrors Coutinho's exit to Barcelona in 2018. The Brazilian feigned a back injury and did everything he could to leave the summer previous, but with Liverpool not prepared for his sale, they simply said no. Then, the Reds prepared for his departure and used him well for five months before cashing in. I expect the same thing to happen with the Swede, although reintegration at St. James' Park will be tougher given his scorched earth Instagram statement.

As for Monday's game against the Magpies? Gulp. There is literally no harder game for Liverpool on planet earth right now given the ferocity with which their players and fans will approach it. I'm praying for no injuries.

Find more from Jordan Chamberlain at Empire of the Kop, external

This match was going to be intense anyway, but the Alexander Isak transfer saga has ramped it up a notch. There's going to be an edge to this one and, honestly, anything could happen.

Newcastle go into this game hampered by the fact they don't have a number nine. They were were brilliant against Aston Villa but guess what, they missed a centre-forward.

A lot has been made about Liverpool's defence, they conceded a couple of soft ones against Bournemouth so there'll be a worry there. But then you look at Liverpool's attack and you think, blimey.

Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike, who had a blinder of a debut and who Newcastle wanted to sign. Funnily enough, had Newcastle got Ekitike then Isak would probably be at Liverpool.

There'll be goals in this. Neither of these sides take a backwards step. I veer towards Liverpool solely because Newcastle don't have a centre-forward. But, are they still capable of scoring goals? Absolutely.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Newcastle are bracing themselves for another bid from Liverpool for striker Alexander Isak after Monday's Premier League fixture between the two sides. (The I paper - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Alex Rice
BBC Sport journalist

A first meeting between these sides since last season's Carabao Cup final, and once again Alexander Isak is the talk of the Toon.

At Wembley in March, he was being celebrated for his 52nd-minute strike that proved to be Newcastle's winner. Now he is in the middle of a stand-off with the club, following Liverpool's rejected £110m bid for the Sweden international in the summer. There may be a bit of tension in the air at St James' Park on Monday.

The dispute is one that both parties will be keen to resolve. Newcastle haven't scored in any of their past four Premier League matches without Isak (D2, L2), despite having 47 shots and accumulating an xG of 5.57 in these games.

While Newcastle began their campaign with a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa, Liverpool hit four past Bournemouth at Anfield. Frenchman Hugo Ekitike, one of four Premier League debutants for the Reds, opened the scoring and provided an assist, helping Liverpool extend their scoring run in the league to 35 games.

As bright as they were going forward, Liverpool looked susceptible to conceding on the break. Last season, the Reds only conceded two goals from fast breaks. Against Bournemouth, they equalled that number. Manager Arne Slot said sloppy passing in midfield was largely to blame but it will give a bit of hope to Newcastle and any other team facing the Premier League champions.

Going forward, though, they look irresistible under Slot. Liverpool have now scored 90 goals in 39 Premier League games under the Dutchman - an average of 2.3 per game. That is the best ratio of any Reds manager in the top flight. For now at least, they are coping better without Isak than Newcastle.

The latest episode of The Commentators' View has landed and it features debate on the behaviour of Alexander Isak.

BBC Radio 5 Live's Ian Dennis said: "Isak has behaved like a spoilt child and I think he wants his cake and he wants to eat it. And I think he's shown a great level of disrespect to Newcastle United and in particular the supporters who've idolised him. He's tarnished his reputation.

"I can't understand, if he wants the move as badly as it would appear, why has he not handed in a transfer request? And we know the reasons why, because of the financial ramifications that he would forsake if that was to happen. But I just think that he's been badly advised and I wouldn't at all be surprised if after that game he goes for somewhere in the region of £130m, that the deal is done.

"I just, I can't see a way for him to stay. I think it would be irretrievable now. The situation with after his statement and what Newcastle have said, if it doesn't happen, but I think it will, but if it doesn't happen, then good luck with trying to reintegrate him back into the squad."

Listen to the show in full

Image source, Getty Images

The role played by William Osula was a point of debate on BBC Radio Newcastle this week, with former Magpies defender Steve Howey stating he is "puzzled" as to why the striker isn't used more.

Osula has two goals in 20 appearances for the Magpies since joining in 2024, many of the outings coming from the bench.

Howey explained: "You've got a player there that's on the bench. You paid what, nearly £15m or something for him. When is he going to be ready?

"Newcastle are crying out for a centre-forward. We haven't got a real centre-forward. He is a centre-forward. I can understand if he was super young and he paid that amount of money, but if you're good enough, you're old enough. But paying something like between £13m and £15m for somebody, how are they not ready?"

• Listen to the debate

Newcastle United commentator Matthew Raisbeck responded to Howey, stating: "There are a lot of supporters asking that question and it's something that we will speak to Eddie Howe about at some point because we like to hear what he thinks about where Osula is.

"He was brought in as a young player with not a lot of senior experience from Sheffield United and a loan at Derby as well. He was brought in for development to work under Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak. He also, as well as playing as a centre forward, can operate out wide and some of his substitute appearances at the end of last season and in the FA Cup at Birmingham in February were on the right wing. But you're right, he is a centre forward.

"There was definitely a big improvement from him from where he was when he arrived to the end of last season. I saw a bit of him in pre-season though, and he played through the middle. He didn't really grasp the opportunity that was there. And there was an opportunity, a big one for him with the Isak situation and Wilson having left as a free agent. So I don't really think he took his chance in pre-season, but I'm not writing him off.

"So it might just be that they don't think that he's ready to deliver or able to deliver in the Premier League at this point in time, but I think it's certainly a valid question, and I know a lot of supporters are asking it."

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Should the dressing room's willingness to welcome Alexander Isak back come as a surprise?

Not only is Isak one of the best strikers in the world, the Swede still has a number of friends at the club.

But it was just a few days ago that Isak stressed that "the relationship can't continue".

How would the striker react if he is still at Newcastle when the window shuts on 1 September?

Would Isak be prepared to play for the club again if he is unable to secure a move to Liverpool?

That remains the big unknown.

Even Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe admitted that was "a conversation for another day".

What is clear is that time is against both Isak and Newcastle.

Just as Newcastle do not foresee the "conditions of sale" being met to allow Isak to go, clubs elsewhere are reluctant to lose key players with just a week-and-a-half left to find a replacement.

Newcastle already needed at least one striker following Callum Wilson's departure last month, but the club have had multiple bids turned down for Brentford star Yoane Wissa while Wolves are adamant that Jorgen Strand Larsen is not for sale.

The search continues.