Liverpool’s seven-match winning streak came to a dramatic end as Fabian Schär’s stoppage-time equaliser earned Newcastle a thrilling 3-3 draw against the Premier League leaders on Wednesday.
Arne Slot’s side appeared moments away from securing yet another victory in their dream start to the season after Mohamed Salah scored his second goal of the night late on.
However, Liverpool’s resilience faltered as Schär capitalised on an error from goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to snatch a point for Newcastle.
Alexander Isak’s first-half rocket had given the hosts the lead, only for Curtis Jones to equalise shortly after the interval.
Anthony Gordon restored Newcastle’s advantage, but Salah’s brilliant brace—bringing his tally to 15 goals across all competitions this season, including nine in his last seven league matches—seemed to have sealed the points.
Dropping points for the first time since their 2-2 draw at Arsenal on 27th October, Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table has now been trimmed to seven points.
Fresh from impressive 2-0 victories over Real Madrid and Manchester City, Slot’s men have been hailed as Premier League favourites and serious Champions League contenders. While this result doesn’t alter their standing, Slot will have noted vulnerabilities in his injury-hit defence ahead of Saturday’s Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park.
Despite Newcastle’s tenacious high press unsettling Liverpool early on, the visitors still carved out chances, with Alexis Mac Allister forcing a fine save from Nick Pope and later clipping the post with a low drive.
A Tale of Twists
Newcastle’s high intensity paid off when Isak opened the scoring in the 35th minute. Latching onto Lewis Hall’s pass, the Swede outmanoeuvred Virgil van Dijk with a deft touch before unleashing a ferocious strike into the roof of the net.
Liverpool, missing the injured Ibrahima Konaté and resting Trent Alexander-Arnold, looked unusually shaky at the back. Jacob Murphy nearly doubled Newcastle’s lead with a powerful strike that cannoned off the far post, while Anthony Gordon squandered a chance following Joe Gomez’s miscue.
However, five minutes into the second half, Liverpool responded. Salah, who had been quiet in the opening period, delivered a sublime cross for Jones, whose perfectly timed run ended with a clinical finish.
Newcastle regained the lead in the 62nd minute when Isak’s incisive pass found Gordon, who weaved into the area and fired past Kelleher with composure.
Undeterred, Liverpool rallied. Slot’s decision to introduce Alexander-Arnold proved pivotal, as his precise cross in the 68th minute allowed Salah to slot home and level the scores again.
Liverpool piled on the pressure and thought they had secured victory in the 83rd minute. Alexander-Arnold’s clever pass found Salah, who finished with trademark precision to make it 3-2.
But the drama wasn’t over. In the 90th minute, Kelleher misjudged a cross, allowing Schär to pounce and turn the loose ball into the net, leaving Liverpool to rue a missed opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table.