Newcastle exposed Liverpool's weakness: how the Reds salvaged victory.

According to The Sun: LIVERPOOL left St James' Park with three points, but Newcastle showed serious weaknesses in their game.

Match hero – young Rio Nguema, who secured victory for the Reds in the dying seconds.

Although Arne Slot's team scored three times, they struggled to cope with the intensity and tactics from Newcastle.

Key players Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz often found themselves isolated as the 'Magpies' pressure forced Liverpool to play long passes, even after Anthony Gordon's red card.

Eddie Howe masterclass

Newcastle, as we have already discussed, expands the pitch when playing against teams like Liverpool.

When the opponent's goalkeeper or fullbacks have the ball, they aren't afraid to drop back.

This creates a huge amount of space in the midfield, where Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes, and Sandro Tonali play, often winning the ball and actively participating in the game.

Newcastle typically uses a 4-5-1 shape when out of possession, in a mid-block.

When they press, they all do it, even Gordon.

Toon pack hunters

Newcastle plays in packs.

The efforts of Guimaraes, Tonali, and Joelinton are impressive, as are the contributions from Lewis Miley, who is also actively pressing.

To counter this style of play, you need to be brave.

It's crucial to lure them into the central zone to create a numerical advantage on the field.

Liverpool’s flaw

Liverpool has issues with balance. In the match against Bournemouth, they missed Gravenberch, and in this match, Mac Allister was absent.

The team also played without a natural right-back due to injuries.

Virgil van Dijk noted: 'we need more matches' — and indeed, that's true.

Thus, while Liverpool secured an important victory, the nuances of their game indicate a need for improvements. Newcastle demonstrated that even in defeat, strong tactical preparation can be foundational for future successes. In upcoming matches, both teams have the opportunity to optimize their strategies and show fans exciting football.