Liverpool’s Grit at St James’ Park: Newcastle Left Reeling by Late Twist

Few Premier League fixtures boil with as much intensity as Newcastle vs Liverpool, and this clash at St James’ Park delivered on every level. In the latest episode of the RAW Podcast, Guy Drinkel, Dave Hendrick and Trev Downey dissected Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Newcastle with incisive detail and typical candour.

“This was an absolutely ballless second-half display from us,” Trev Downey admitted, laying bare Liverpool’s shortcomings. “Weak, soft, pushed around by 10-man Newcastle in the cauldron they love to create.” It was an unflinching admission of how the Reds were second-best for much of the contest, even with a numerical advantage.

Rio’s Moment of Brilliance Shocks Newcastle

But from the depths of mediocrity came an astonishing twist. 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha made his Liverpool debut and changed everything. “It would have been really easy for his arse to go,” Dave Hendrick noted, referencing the pressure the youngster faced. Yet when the ball reached Rio in the 100th minute, he struck with startling poise and accuracy.

“The maturity of that strike, the presence of mind… he just does the thing,” Downey said. “He very deliberately sets himself, steps into that ball, and it’s the perfect contact. No keeper is saving it.” Drinkel added, “Rio is the second 16-year-old to score a winning goal in a Premier League game after Wayne Rooney.”

That finish didn’t just steal the points, it delivered a statement. “We absolutely rammed it down their throats in the end,” Trev exclaimed. “We were leaving that stadium with two fingers up going, ‘Shut up, you winging tow rags.’”

Dominik Szoboszlai’s Underrated Brilliance

Amid all the drama, Dominik Szoboszlai’s performance at right-back didn’t go unnoticed. Guy Drinkel vented frustration over recent criticism: “The amount of debate around Domos this summer was stupid.” For a player expected to thrive further forward, Szoboszlai adapted seamlessly.

“He just went to right-back today and probably had our best right-back performance,” said Guy. “When was the last time Trent was asked? PSG before he was injured? That’s probably the most asked I’ve seen a right-back in a Liverpool shirt in three or four years.”

Dave Hendrick added weight to the argument: “If you were going to build a team out of just one player, number one on the list would be Fede Valverde and number two, and a close number two, would be Domos.”

Defiant in Victory, But Liverpool Must Improve

Despite the euphoria, there was no papering over the cracks. “We did not deserve that win,” Downey admitted. Dave agreed, “I don’t even think we deserved a draw to be completely honest.”

And yet, this is precisely what makes great teams. Liverpool won ugly. “It feels big. City lost yesterday. We play Arsenal next. We beat them, all of a sudden we’ve got a three-point lead on our two big rivals,” said Dave, hinting at early title momentum.

Trev summed up the situation: “We haven’t seen anything like Liverpool as it should be yet, which is both disappointing and massively encouraging.”

Final Word

For Newcastle, this was a bitter pill. Dominant for stretches, backed by a ferocious home crowd, and still undone by a clinical Liverpool moment. For the Reds, it’s a signal that while performances may fluctuate, resilience remains intact. “This is a phenomenal goal,” Dave said, pointing to the team’s intelligence and composure in the build-up. “It’s instinct, ability, and intelligence.”

RAW delivered an unfiltered account of a night where Liverpool were far from their best, yet stole the show from a furious Newcastle side. “Good luck,” Trev signed off, “we’ve only just begun.”