Liverpool dramatic win over Newcastle: The power of the king

Liverpool exploded with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Newcastle, asserting their power as the king of the Premier League and not easily defeated.

Important victories and Rio Ngumoha

If one number is needed to sum up the legacy that Arne Slot is continuing to write at Anfield after Jurgen Klopp left, it is the rate of 39/40 matches Liverpool have scored in the Premier League since he took charge (98%).

The "never-silent" identity on the attack line turns Liverpool into the most durable attacking machine in Europe.

Liverpool had an important victory. Photo: LFC

Against Newcastle, that formula was proven again, albeit in an unlikely scenario: a goal in the tenth minute of injury time, from a teenager who was not old enough to drive.

Rio Ngumoha, 16 years and 361 days old, needed just a few minutes on the pitch – coming on as a substitute for Cody Gakpo – to make history.

The decisive finish helped Liverpool win all 3 points and put him in the history of the Anfield team: the youngest player to ever score for The Kop in the Premier League .

Ben Woodburn's record was broken (17 years and 45 days), and people cannot help but remember Wayne Rooney in 2002, also at the age of 16, who shook the Premier League.

Back then, Rooney was one day younger than Ngumoha is now, scoring the winning goal for Everton against the mighty Arsenal.

Ngumoha's emergence evokes images of Jurgen Klopp's early Liverpool era – where young faces like Alexander-Arnold stepped onto the big stage (he is now at Real Madrid).

But in Slot, it has another nuance: it is a reminder that Liverpool's new vitality comes not just from signings or a tweaked pressing system, but also from a belief in the next generation.

The goal by a 16-year-old boy in the 10th minute of injury time was a testament to the “never give up” spirit – Liverpool’s DNA. A week earlier, the hero, Federico Chiesa, seemed lost.

Ngumoha experiences a historic moment. Photo: LFC

Hugo Ekitike Values

If one stops at Ngumoha's fairy tale scenario, one will miss an important detail: Hugo Ekitike is gradually becoming a key piece in the Slot project.

After 3 official matches, 3 goals: Community Shield, opening round of Premier League 2025/26, and now at St. James' Park.

It was no longer a coincidence or luck, but a series of evidences of the French striker's adaptability and killer instinct.

Ekitike is not a flashy striker. He does not create solo plays like a superstar, nor does he live off personal glory. What Slot found in him was simplicity, but effectiveness.

Against Newcastle, the goal in the first seconds of the second half came from a smart move into space, a neat kick near the penalty area.

And so, Ekitike brought Liverpool to key moments, a player who knew when to shine.

After parting ways with Darwin Nunez, Slot and Liverpool officials have shown that the Ekitike solution is reasonable. Expensive but worth it.

So far, Ekitike has provided Slot with a reliable solution. He is the right type of centre forward for a controlled pressing system: strong enough to contest, quick enough to exploit space, and knows how to take advantage of opportunities.

Ekitike's impressive conquest of English football. Photo: LFC

These qualities make Ekitike a link that Liverpool's attack cannot do without, although before the season, many people considered him just a rotation option.

Between the Ngumoha highlight and the Ekitike value, there is still one thing that remains: Liverpool continue to expose their defensive weaknesses – which were exploited by Crystal Palace in the Community Shield.

In the first three games of the season, they conceded six goals. Against Newcastle, Liverpool even conceded two goals in a row when their opponents had only 10 men on the field.

This is very difficult to accept for a team that only conceded an average of 0.98 goals/match last season.

This weekend is Arsenal (10:30 p.m. August 31), a clash between the two most promising candidates for the 2025/26 Premier League title. Slot must immediately plug the gaps in defense.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/liverpool-ha-newcastle-dien-ro-3-2-quyen-luc-vua-ngoai-hang-anh-2436115.html