{"id":1396228,"date":"2025-08-26T10:03:37","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T09:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&p=1396228"},"modified":"2025-08-26T10:08:26","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T09:08:26","slug":"post-match-analysis-newcastle-vs-liverpool-25-08-25","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/post-match-analysis-newcastle-vs-liverpool-25-08-25\/","title":{"rendered":"Newcastle analysis: How Eddie Howe’s tactics almost inspired Magpies to a result against Liverpool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Under the shadow of the ongoing Alexander Isak transfer saga, St James’ Park took centre stage for a blockbuster Monday night showdown between Newcastle United and Liverpool.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newcastle were full of aggression and intensity from the off in front of the vociferous home support. The Magpies were looking to topple the Reds in a Premier League clash for the first time in a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie Howe’s men dominated the early running to keep Liverpool firmly on the back foot. But, despite their supremacy, Newcastle somehow went into half time a goal and a man down.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Ryan Gravenberch’s smashing low strike gave Liverpool the lead, before Anthony Gordon was sent off for a reckless tackle on Virgil van Dijk. The Magpies were left facing an uphill battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hugo Ekitike instantly doubled Liverpool\u2019s advantage after half time with a superb finish to deepen Newcastle’s misery. It looked to be a hammer blow, and one that should have allowed Liverpool to take control of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This was far from the case. Newcastle rallied and quickly rekindled their hopes when Bruno Guimaraes\u2019 header beat Alisson following a second-phase long throw situation. Not content with just closing the gap, Newcastle continued to show their fighting spirit and determination, pushing forward with gusto, while being spurred on by their raucous fans, in search of an equaliser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Newcastle’ persistence eventually paid off when William Osula equalised to set up a grandstand finale. But, just when it seemed they had done enough to earn a point, teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha struck at the death to snatch all there points for Liverpool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Targeting the right<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Despite the devastating outcome, Howe\u2019s men certainly deserve immense credit for their incredible first-half effort from a tactical perspective. Newcastle found many avenues to get at Liverpool and their targeting of Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back was one method that regularly bore fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    With Mo Salah not tacking back too far, Tino Livramento would surge upfield alongside Harvey Barnes to form two-on-ones against Szoboszlai. There, they could combine, carry the ball ahead of find time and space to whip in crosses. All while alternating between overlapping and underlapping. The space available was amplified due to Newcastle often having three-vs-two ascendancy in midfield at times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Joelinton\u2019s intelligent movement to drop deep and into left-of-centre zones while dragging his marker with him was vital in creating wide overloads. This exploited Salah\u2019s narrow pressing onto Dan Burn and opened the door for Livramento through third-man combinations to utilise the space behind the Egyptian. Barnes, meanwhile, did a crucial job of pinning Szoboszlai, ensuring Livramento could receive freely and in a forward-facing posture to drive into space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Newcastle’s use of their spare man in midfield also warrants praise. With Florian Wirtz joining Ekitike in pressing Newcastle’s centre-backs, Sandro Tonali was often left unmarked — as Guimaraes and Joelinton kept Curtis Jones and Gravenberch busy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cutting passing options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The Magpies’ coordinated high pressing worked a treat as well. They effectively stifled Liverpool’s build-up by cutting off central options. Gordon and Barnes’ curved pressing was key to this. The English pair used their cover shadows to block the routes to Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate when they pressed Alisson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Behind them, the midfielders and full-backs pressed in a more man-for-man manner, with Burn taking Salah and Livramento stepping to Szoboszlai. Although this posed a threat, Newcastle timed their harrying brilliantly to force Alisson to go long. So Burn’s speed inferiority was negated. Newcastle’s midfielders would also front-screen their Liverpool counterparts to remove them as outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Liverpool had some tweaks to combat this, such as Szoboszlai edging infield to be an extra midfielder or Jones dropping into the backline. But Newcastle adjusted smoothly to continually blanket their opponents. This still meant Liverpool’s best bet of progressing was Alisson bypassing the press with booming aerial passes into Ekitike and Cody Gakpo in particular. The Dutchman was able to use his size edge vs Kieran Tripper and headed prowess to win second balls. So the Reds’ elevated their chances of regaining the ball high to immediately attack from advanced areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Newcastle earn Slot’s praise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    “They can play out from the back if they want to, they can be intense in their pressing, they have so many quality players,” Liverpool boss Arne Slot told reporters after the game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    “But they also have the quality to play a game like this with so many big players. That’s why this is such a good team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    “Every time when we were quite calm in the build-up, but then we ended with our attackers [where] they should keep the ball longer and every time [they] forced a pass. The ball went behind and then we had to defend a long goal kick again.<\/p>\n\n\n

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