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Darwin Nunez made a remarkable impact as he entered the game from the bench, netting two crucial goals in the last 10 minutes. Despite being reduced to 10 men, Liverpool displayed a stunning comeback from a one-goal deficit to secure a 2-1 victory over Newcastle at St. James’ Park on Sunday.
Anthony Gordon capitalized on a mistake by Trent Alexander-Arnold, giving the Magpies the lead. However, Virgil van Dijk was later shown a red card for a challenge on Alexander Isak within the first half-hour.
Despite having a numerical advantage, Newcastle couldn’t convert it into a significant lead. Their failure to do so came back to haunt them when Nunez, displaying an unusual level of brilliance not yet seen in his Liverpool career, single-handedly transformed the game’s dynamics.
A little over a year ago, Liverpool invested a club-record £85 million in Nunez. Nevertheless, the Uruguayan striker has struggled to secure a prominent role in Jurgen Klopp’s lineup, with Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo taking precedence as the preferred number nine choices at the start of the season.
Introduced as a substitute with 13 minutes remaining, Nunez seized the opportunity presented to him. Exploiting his speed and precision, he exploited the defensive gaps in the Newcastle backline twice. On both occasions, he remained composed and delivered powerful, low shots beyond the reach of Nick Pope.
The victory keeps Liverpool trailing the leaders, Manchester City, by only two points. This win also sets an early-season benchmark, especially considering that Newcastle managed to surpass Liverpool last season to secure a spot in the Champions League.
Liverpool narrowly escaped being reduced to ten men within the first six minutes of the game. Alexander-Arnold, who had previously received a yellow card for discarding the ball, was fortunate not to receive a second yellow when he brought down Gordon as the Newcastle player sprinted down the left wing.
To the surprise of both the home crowd and the Newcastle bench, referee John Brooks refrained from presenting a second yellow card.
Seeing a potential need for a replacement to keep Alexander-Arnold out of more trouble, Klopp deployed Joe Gomez to warm up.
In hindsight, the Liverpool manager might have desired to execute that substitution, considering Alexander-Arnold’s inability to control Mohamed Salah’s pass. This lapse in control allowed Gordon to break free toward the goal and secure his second Newcastle goal since his £45 million transfer from Everton in January.
The situation deteriorated further for the Reds when Brooks finally brandished a red card, marking Van Dijk’s inaugural expulsion in his Liverpool career, and all of this occurred within the first 28 minutes.
The Liverpool captain was adjudged to have thwarted a clear goalscoring opportunity as he made contact with Isak on the edge of the penalty area.
Only a display of brilliance from Alisson Becker kept Liverpool competitive until the first half concluded, with the Brazilian goalkeeper redirecting Miguel Almiron’s powerfully struck volley onto the crossbar.
Almiron came remarkably close to scoring after the halftime interval, showcasing mesmerizing wing play that sliced through the Liverpool defense. However, his shot rebounded off the post.
Newcastle paid the price for failing to extend their lead in a breathtaking conclusion to the match.
Sven Botman’s inability to handle Jota’s forward pass led to Nunez firing a shot into the far corner, nine minutes before the final whistle.
Salah had been relatively subdued during the week when rumors linked him to a move to Saudi Arabia from European football.
Nonetheless, in stoppage time, the Egyptian forward sprung into action, delivering a pivotal pass that once again set Nunez free to score the most significant goal of his Liverpool career up to that point.
