Dominic Scurr reacts to Newcastle United's 2-0 Premier League defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were the scorers for the home side.
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00:00Domsker here at Anfield where Newcastle United have been beaten 2-0 by Liverpool this evening.
00:08Goals from Dominic Sobislai and Alexis McAllister in either half ultimately seeing Newcastle fall 2.
00:14Another defeat here at Anfield which we're more than used to.
00:18For a fixture that's thrown up a lot of drama over the years, a lot of great matches,
00:23this was probably one of the more forgettable ones, one of the more predictable ones as well
00:29where Liverpool were okay, they did what they needed to do, they took the chances that came their way.
00:35Newcastle didn't, only had three shots in the game, failed to register a shot on target.
00:41Obviously the elephant in the room as such, the big blow ahead of the game was no Alexander Isak for Newcastle.
00:48Saw him arrive actually at Anfield so he was here with the squad but not in the matchday squad
00:55which for a player who scored 21 goals this season, he scored in the reverse fixture 3-3
01:03against Liverpool at St James' Park, he scored in his previous two visits here at Anfield.
01:08That was a big blow for Newcastle ahead of the game and starting Callum Wilson up front
01:13where Callum Wilson would know his quality, he would know how good he can be
01:16but he ultimately hadn't started a Premier League game since last May
01:21so some rustiness, lack of sharpness was always going to happen, especially with his fitness issues as well.
01:29So yeah, it was a bit of that from Callum Wilson today, he went through one-on-one twice,
01:34one was offside, the other wasn't or it was very close anyway and he failed to hit the target on both occasions.
01:41So that's all it was really, Newcastle were okay, they were better than they were
01:45against Manchester City in the previous away game.
01:48It was again a little bit, I'm looking at the pitch light, still waiting for Newcastle to do something,
01:54register a shot on target or something but yeah, it was just a predictable game.
01:59Liverpool didn't really have to reach top gear by any means, Newcastle didn't really do an awful lot.
02:06Again, frustrations defensively, I think the first goal in particular was very poor.
02:12Eddie Howe wouldn't say whether Nick Pope was unsighted for the goal, I like to think or like to hope he would have been
02:21because otherwise it's a very, very poor goal to concede.
02:24First shot on target for the second game running, Newcastle have conceded.
02:29Since Nick Pope's return to the side, that's a disappointing start again.
02:33His distribution was probably highlighted as well or lack thereof, highlighted where he kicks the ball off Mo Salah
02:40and then he has another shaky one where he almost under hits it, well he does under hit it
02:45and then Newcastle get away with one again as well.
02:49It's an interesting decision for Eddie Howe, well that Eddie Howe has made,
02:57getting Martin de Bravca out of the side where he hadn't done an awful lot wrong
03:00and then Nick Pope comes back into the side, his last three Premier League games,
03:05and now he's conceded nine goals.
03:10It's an interesting warning now in the build up to the Carabao Cup final,
03:16does Eddie Howe make a U-turn on his decision?
03:21I'd think he probably won't because Nick Pope again has historically been the first choice goalkeeper ahead of Martin de Bravca
03:30although I do think it's been very harsh to remove Martin de Bravca from the starting line-up
03:37when he hadn't done anything wrong really.
03:40Manchester City was a poor result, a 4-0, he was probably at fault for one of the goals
03:45but if you're taking someone out of the side every time they're at fault for a goal,
03:49you probably take half the Newcastle side out for that Manchester City game.
03:54We'll move on, it's Brighton in the FA Cup next on Sunday
04:01and hopefully we'll see Alexander Isak back for that game but no promises.
04:06Eddie Howe said it was a late decision regarding his fitness
04:09and that's part of the reason why he travelled with the squad as well
04:12so again, he's a player Newcastle will absolutely need back in the coming games
04:17and Eddie Howe recognised that, he said part of the decision today was made
04:22because of the games Newcastle have coming up where Brighton in the Cup,
04:26it's a must-win game, the nature of the Cup game,
04:28then West Ham away in the Premier League in 11 days' time
04:32and then it's the big one, Liverpool in the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium
04:36so probably thinking short-term pain for medium to long-term gain for Newcastle
04:42where you rest Alexander Isak tonight, make sure he's right for the crucial games coming up,
04:47make sure he's right for that Carabao Cup final
04:49because starting him tonight, maybe he takes one of those chances Callum Wilson gets
04:55but it's a risk of a potential longer-term injury
05:00and then your Carabao Cup final hopes are severely dented
05:04so I think it's a measured decision Newcastle have made
05:06and one that ultimately, hopefully works in their favour in the three coming games they've got
05:14and if Alexander Isak isn't back for the Brighton game
05:18then at least he's got more than a week to recover for the next Premier League game
05:24against West Ham United in fairly at a win tonight, or tonight's defeat at Anfield
05:31still after the midweek games, leaves Newcastle sixth in the Premier League table
05:37now two points behind Chelsea in fifths, so two points outside the potential Champions League places
05:43which, I mean, if we're looking at the Premier League table
05:47league title sorted, Liverpool 13 points clear
05:50relegation is very, I'd say very close to being tied up in terms of the three teams
05:56who were promoted to the Premier League last season
05:59look like they're going to head straight back down for the second successive season
06:04and yeah, the Champions League places are very interesting indeed
06:08third to sort of 10th, 11th is very, very tight as the lawnmowers come on
06:15so that's my signal to wrap up soon
06:17but this could still be a season to remember for Newcastle United
06:20obviously European places still well up for grabs
06:24but then you're looking at the Carabao Cup final as well
06:27I don't think tonight's game will have too much bear
06:30and Newcastle will be a different side
06:33you'd imagine, you'd hope anyway
06:35Newcastle, they went tonight with a formation change
06:38it's sort of 4-2-3-1 slash 4-4-2
06:41with Anthony Gordon playing through the middle with Callum Wilson
06:45in an ideal world they won't do that in the Carabao Cup final
06:48they'd go back, you'd imagine, to the traditional 4-3-3 that Eddie Howe likes to play
06:53Gordon on the left, Alexander Isak through the middle
06:56and then it's all to play for in the Carabao Cup final
06:59because I think tonight's game you can't really read an awful lot into
07:04I don't think anyone was particularly awful
07:07Sandro Tonali probably at fault for two goals somewhat
07:11in terms of he let Sobizade go for the opener
07:14and then it was his misplaced pass for the second goal that led to it
07:18but it was a misplaced pass round about the halfway line
07:22so not helped by the players around him
07:24still a lot of football to occur between that and Liverpool actually scoring
07:31Bruno again in the midfield
07:33it's a disappointing, frustrating run that he just can't quite step out of at the moment
07:40and I think if there's one player who can take a bit of positivity from the game
07:48and go, yeah, I've not done an awful lot wrong tonight
07:52I'd say it's Lewis Hall and for the second game running
07:55I think he's been Newcastle's best player
07:57because on Sunday against Nottingham Forest
08:00he was the only one who turned up for both halves
08:02he was good in the first half, he was excellent in the second half
08:05whereas a lot of Newcastle players were very good in the first half
08:09didn't turn up in the second half
08:10and then tonight probably one of the hardest jobs in world football
08:14up against Mo Salah, one of the in-form players
08:17or the most in-form player in the Premier League this season
08:20ultimately limited him, stopped his scoring run OK
08:24did get a very good assist Mo Salah
08:26nearly got another one as well with an outside-of-the-foot cross
08:29but ultimately in an attacking sense
08:31in terms of him getting shots away
08:33Lewis Hall did very well dealing with Mo Salah
08:36but ultimately it's another defeat for Newcastle United at Anfield
08:41the wait for a Premier League win here goes on
08:45it's going to be 31 years, going on 32 years by the time we next visit here
08:51and yeah we'll have all the reaction from Eddie Howe over on Shields Gazette
08:57as well as Mouth of the Tyne podcast on X
09:02and from myself at Dom's Skir on X
09:05so reaction from Eddie Howe, player ratings, they're live now
09:09and as well as injury update
09:12and looking ahead to a big game against Brighton, back at St James' Park
09:16on Sunday in the FA Cup fifth round
09:19Cheers