Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola admitted he "wouldn't have signed up for this result" after his side secured a dramatic 2-2 draw at Newcastle United on Sunday, thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai's contentious 99th-minute penalty. The late equaliser rescued a point for Liverpool, but Iraola acknowledged that the performance merited more.
Szoboszlai's Late Penalty Rescues a Point
"Scoring at the end probably gives you a better taste and I'm obviously happy we've recovered one point, but we had done more than enough to score that goal," said Iraola. "If it had been earlier, probably the run of the game was for us. But I value that we never gave up." The penalty, awarded after a VAR review, was a contentious decision that left Newcastle's new head coach, Matthias Jaissle, with "mixed feelings."
"It was indeed a game of mixed feelings," Jaissle said. "For me, it was no penalty. It was a really soft one. If you give that, we will see many, many penalties. I don't think that Lewis Hall [who caught substitute Victor Muñoz on a knee] can do anything, he cannot just disappear on the field." The draw leaves both teams with a point, but the manner of the result was hard to accept for the home side.
Isak's Underwhelming Return to Tyneside
Liverpool fans were disappointed to see the former Newcastle forward, Alexander Isak, underwhelm on his first return to St James' Park after his acrimonious record £125m transfer from Tyneside to Merseyside last summer. Isak seemed undeterred by a hostile atmosphere but still struggled to have an impact on the game.
"I think Alex expected a bit the atmosphere," said Iraola. "It wasn't a big surprise for him. He has tried everything and given us good positions on the ball. I value that he has continued pushing and fighting. It's a good step for Alex." Despite the lack of goals, Iraola praised Isak's effort and commitment, suggesting the forward is still adapting to his new surroundings.
Jaissle's Mixed Feelings and Praise for Young Team
Jaissle, who was without his injured captain Dan Burn, had high praise for Yoane Wissa, describing his performance in the No 10 role as amazing and also suggested he might resist interest in Joe Willock, the scorer of Newcastle's second goal, following Wissa's excellent assists. "With these performances I definitely want to keep Joe," he said. "It was the Joe we wish to see."
"When you lose two points like that, it's really hard to digest but there is also a lot of confidence and we are really proud of what we saw," Jaissle added. "The young lads are doing an amazing job with all the challenges of a transition period. This was special, they are already delivering on a high level. It makes us proud. You can see the lads are a unit and really committed to what we're doing. It's a really good base to build on."
Wissa's Resurgence Under New Management
Wissa, who struggled under Howe after recovering from a knee injury last season, looked a different player under Jaissle's tutelage. "It's rough [to concede] 30 seconds from the end but this was a huge step for us," said the former Brentford forward. "That's the mentality we need. The manager came three weeks ago and gave us lots of information and now we've shown we're ready for the season." The draw provides a foundation for Newcastle's transition period, while Liverpool will look to build on their late resilience.
