Newcastle United and Liverpool shared a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park on 23 August 2026 after Dominik Szoboszlai converted a 99th-minute penalty to rescue a point for the visitors. The match produced contrasting individual narratives: Yoane Wissa was one of Newcastle’s best performers in a number 10 role, while Alexander Isak struggled to influence the game on his first return to St James’ Park since his departure last summer.
- Yoane Wissa was Newcastle’s standout performer, influential from the number 10 role and credited with assisting the second goal.
- Alexander Isak, on his first return to St James' Park since leaving, was judged to have had a quiet game and missed a major chance.
- Liverpool salvaged a point via Dominik Szoboszlai's late penalty, but match reports highlighted defensive lapses that need addressing.
- Newcastle’s transitional play and direct ball-carrying created their best opportunities; substitutions notably influenced the outcome.
- All facts, ratings and events in this analysis are attributed to BBC match coverage and player ratings.
Quick recap and key facts
According to BBC coverage, Anthony Elanga opened the scoring after five minutes, Joe Willock restored Newcastle’s lead by scoring in the 57th minute, and Cody Gakpo had earlier equalised for Liverpool. The match finished 2-2 with Dominik Szoboszlai’s late penalty. Attendance was recorded as 52,630 at St James’ Park. These match events are reported in live coverage and the BBC match report.
Who stood out for Newcastle
Yoane Wissa (reported rating: 8 by BBC Sport) was singled out as a bright performer. Deployed in an advanced creative role, the sources describe him as aggressive, sharp and decisive in the build-up to Newcastle’s second goal: BBC coverage credits Wissa with carrying the ball and setting up Joe Willock’s strike. He also received a standing ovation when substituted late in the game.
Other notable Newcastle performers included:
- Lukas Hornicek — BBC described his Premier League debut as solid, highlighting a flying save to deny Florian Wirtz and a push away from an Alexander Isak header; he was rated 7.
- Amar Dedic and Malick Thiaw — both earned positive mentions from BBC coverage (Dedic rated 7; Thiaw 7), with Dedic making a crucial intervention in the build-up to Gakpo’s chance and Thiaw stepping in as captain in Dan Burn’s absence.
- William Osula and Anthony Elanga — Osula’s run and pass led to Elanga’s early goal, while Elanga finished neatly and was given a 7 in the BBC ratings.
Where Isak and others fell short
Alexander Isak’s return to St James’ Park was described as underwhelming. BBC reporting noted he “did nothing of note” and missed a very good chance at 2-1; he was given a 5 in their player ratings. The narrative is straightforward: despite the emotional backdrop of his return, Isak failed to convert opportunities into clear contributions on the night.
On Liverpool’s side, some individually mixed performances were highlighted. Dominik Szoboszlai was described as having an unusually average game before converting the decisive penalty (BBC rating 7). Cody Gakpo was praised for a “brilliant hit” and rated 8. Meanwhile, several Liverpool players were criticised for specific defensive lapses that contributed to Newcastle’s chances; BBC noted Virgil van Dijk could perhaps have engaged earlier in the move that led to Elanga’s goal, and Alisson was assessed as having limited influence on Newcastle’s finishes.
Tactical patterns and implications
Newcastle — high-energy transitions through a number 10
From the available reporting, Newcastle derived their best moments from quick transitional play and the central presence of Wissa in the number 10 position. Wissa’s ball-carrying and ability to link the phases were directly linked to the second goal: Joe Willock’s finish is attributed to Wissa’s involvement. That suggests Matthias Jaissle’s early use of Wissa in a free creative role can unlock tight defences and compensate for a nominal centre-forward who may offer less hold-up play in certain passages.
Liverpool — opportunities and defensive questions
Liverpool created clear moments, notably through Cody Gakpo, who scored Liverpool’s first equaliser and was one of their top-rated players. However, BBC reporting flags some collective issues: moments of inertia or delayed engagement in defensive transitions that allowed Newcastle to exploit space on the counter. The late penalty changed the result, but the match coverage indicates Liverpool’s game management and defensive compactness at critical moments will be areas Jurgen Klopp’s side must address.
Squad and substitution notes
BBC’s player ratings list several substitutions that shaped the closing stages. Joe Willock and Jacob Ramsey were introduced for Newcastle, with Willock making an immediate impact by scoring. For Liverpool, Victor Muñoz and Alexis Mac Allister featured from the bench; Muñoz won the penalty that led to the late equaliser, per BBC live updates. Yoane Wissa’s late withdrawal drew applause — the live blog recorded that he was given a standing ovation when replaced by Fabian Schär.
What this means next
For Newcastle, the match reinforces the idea that Jaissle can rely on internal solutions rather than wholesale personnel changes to produce results: a summer signing like Amar Dedic and early-season contributors such as Wissa and Osula got positive mentions. Wissa’s form in a number 10 role could influence tactical selection in coming fixtures if he continues to provide direct goal involvement.
For Liverpool, rescuing a point via a late penalty tempers the immediate consequence of defensive lapses but does not erase them. The live reporting signals the need for clearer defensive communication and better management of transitional threats. Gakpo remains a reliable attacking outlet; maintaining his form will be important while other attackers and midfielders find consistency.
Timeline of decisive moments (reported)
- 5′ — Anthony Elanga opens the scoring for Newcastle (assist: William Osula), per BBC match summary.
- 55′ — Cody Gakpo equalises for Liverpool (assist: Ryan Gravenberch), according to the BBC live report.
- 57′ — Joe Willock restores Newcastle’s lead (assist: Yoane Wissa), as reported by BBC Sport.
- 90’+9 — Dominik Szoboszlai converts a late penalty to level for Liverpool; the penalty was won after Victor Muñoz was fouled, per live coverage.
Bottom line
Contemporary reporting from the BBC frames Wissa as the standout Newcastle performer — impactful in possession and directly involved in Newcastle’s second goal — while Alexander Isak failed to affect the game on his emotional return. Liverpool left with a point thanks to a late penalty, but the broader match narrative highlights both teams’ positives and clear areas to work on: Newcastle’s transition threat and Liverpool’s need for greater defensive steadiness in key moments.
All player ratings, goal times and match events referenced here are taken from BBC live coverage and the BBC player ratings article for Newcastle 2–2 Liverpool on 23 August 2026.