Dominik Szoboszlai's Late Penalty Saves Liverpool Against Newcastle

Dominik Szoboszlai buried a penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time to rip the points from Newcastle’s grasp and cap a Premier League thriller Kevin Keegan would have recognised instantly.

St James’ Park shook. So did Lewis Hall’s head.

The Newcastle full-back was adjudged to have brought down substitute Víctor Muñoz deep into added time, and referee Stuart Attwell pointed straight to the spot. Hall stood stunned, arms out, disbelief written all over his face. Szoboszlai didn’t blink. From 12 yards, he drilled Liverpool level at 2-2 and stretched their unbeaten run on Tyneside to 10 games.

Newcastle, who had led twice, were floored.

A Keegan tribute, a hostile homecoming

The day had started with nostalgia and warmth. Both teams emerged for the warm-up in Keegan number seven shirts, a shared nod from Tyneside and Merseyside to a man who lit up both clubs. The tribute was emotional, the applause generous.

Then the whistle went and the mood turned.

Alexander Isak, back at St James’ Park in different colours and for a huge fee, walked into a wall of noise from the 52,630 crowd. Every touch was jeered. Every misstep amplified. Yoane Wissa, brought in part to fill the void Isak left, seized the stage instead, delivering his best performance yet in black and white.

New Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle, still only weeks into the job and working with a squad that may yet change again before the window shuts, prowled his technical area with intent. Across from him, Andoni Iraola watched his Liverpool side wrestle with a game that kept slipping away, then clawing back.

Elanga strikes as Newcastle fly out

The hostility towards Isak had barely settled when Newcastle exploded into life.

After just five minutes, impressive debutant Amar Dedic surged forward and slipped a clever ball into Will Osula. One touch, head up, and Osula threaded the perfect pass into Anthony Elanga’s stride. The Sweden international burned away from Milos Kerkez, opened his body and guided a right-foot shot across Alisson Becker into the far corner.

The roar felt like old St James’ Park. Keegan-era St James’ Park.

Liverpool reacted quickly. They pinned Newcastle back for spells, but their threat flickered rather than burned. Lukás Hornícek produced a sharp save from Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort in the 18th minute, yet Jaissle’s side kept inviting pressure with loose passes and risky decisions in their own half.

Newcastle, though, still carried menace. Lewis Miley picked out Dedic with a raking 22nd-minute pass, the full-back’s shot clipping Kerkez and flying behind for a corner. Jérémy Jacquet tracked back to do just enough to stop Osula latching onto a Wissa through-ball that would have left him clear.

Liverpool dominated the ball without doing much with it. Szoboszlai hammered a 26th-minute free-kick straight into the wall after Wissa hauled him back, and the half-time whistle went with Newcastle’s slender 1-0 lead intact, the home crowd sensing something more.

Gakpo drags Liverpool back, Willock answers instantly

Szoboszlai emerged after the break determined to drag Liverpool upfield, whipping in an early corner that caused panic but no finish. Newcastle, though, still looked the sharper side on the break.

Harvey Barnes and Elanga tore away on a counter that promised a second goal but fizzled out at the crucial moment. Moments later, Miley found space on the edge of the area in the 48th minute, only to send a tame effort straight at Alisson.

That miss began to feel costly.

On 53 minutes, Cody Gakpo stepped in from the left and curled a strike just over with Hornícek rooted. It was a warning. Two minutes later, he made no mistake. Given far too much room 25 yards out, Gakpo steadied himself and lashed a skidding drive past Hornícek to haul Liverpool level at 1-1.

St James’ Park groaned. The momentum looked red.

Then Newcastle punched back.

Barely had the celebrations in the away end died down when Wissa danced through midfield, his quick feet carving open space at the edge of the box. He slipped the ball to substitute Joe Willock, who had been on the pitch only seconds. Willock shifted inside, opened his body and swept a precise shot across Alisson and into the far corner.

2-1. The stadium erupted again. The script flipped in an instant.

Newcastle’s missed chances, Liverpool’s late escape

With their tails up, Jaissle’s side hunted a third. Wissa kept stretching Liverpool’s back line, buzzing between the lines and constantly asking questions. Another substitute, Jacob Ramsey, arrived to join the surge and almost made it count, dragging a 70th-minute volley wide when well placed.

Wissa then went through one-on-one, only for Alisson to stand tall and shut the door. That save kept Liverpool alive.

Time ticked away, the crowd urging every tackle, every clearance. Newcastle looked like they had ridden out the storm. Iraola’s team pushed, but clear chances were scarce. The noise grew more hopeful than anxious.

Then, in stoppage time, came the twist.

Muñoz drove into the area, tangled with Hall, and went down. Attwell pointed to the spot. Hall dropped to his knees in disbelief, surrounded by protesting teammates. The decision stood.

Szoboszlai placed the ball, blocked out the chaos and drilled his penalty home. Clinical. Cold. 2-2.

Newcastle slumped, robbed of a statement win on an afternoon built around old memories and new beginnings. Liverpool walked away relieved, but with plenty to answer for.

On a day written in Keegan’s shadow, both clubs served up the kind of chaos he made his trademark. The question now is which of them can turn that chaos into something lasting over the season.