LIVERPOOL(BN24) — Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed doubts about whether Tuesday’s Premier League clash against Newcastle United could truly be called a football match following a hard-fought 3-2 victory at St James’ Park. The Reds secured the win in dramatic fashion with a 100th-minute goal from 16-year-old forward Rio Ngumoha, capping off a tense and unpredictable encounter.
Despite being reduced to 10 men after Anthony Gordon’s red card for a reckless challenge on Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk just before halftime, Newcastle mounted a spirited comeback from a two-goal deficit. The match saw an intense, physical battle with 32 fouls committed—the highest in a Premier League game this season.
BBC Sport highlighted statistics from Opta revealing the ball was in play for only 40.8 percent of the match, marking the lowest active playtime in a Premier League fixture since February 2010. Slot’s post-match comments reflected his frustration with Newcastle’s defensive approach. “I’m not too sure if I saw a football match,” Slot told Sky Sports. “It was set-piece after set-piece, long throws. It didn’t have a lot to do with tactics. But I liked a lot how we stood strong.”
The atmosphere inside St James’ Park was charged, fueled in part by reports of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak’s interest in a move to Liverpool. Slot acknowledged the challenges faced during the first 45 minutes, saying, “It was a very difficult first half hour, 45 minutes. We didn’t collapse at all and went 1-0 up.”
He also commented on the difficulty of maintaining the lead against a team that, despite being a man down, employed time-consuming tactics, including the goalkeeper taking every free-kick. “Newcastle going down to 10 men, you would expect it to be a big plus for us, but when a goalkeeper takes every free-kick, there is not much hope [benefit] if you are one player up. That’s why it was so difficult to bring the 2-0 over the line,” Slot added.
Liverpool’s victory, secured in stoppage time, not only underscores their resilience but also raises questions about the style of play Newcastle employed to disrupt the Reds’ rhythm in one of this season’s most hard-fought Premier League encounters.
