Matthias Jaissle's Premier League debut as Newcastle United manager ended in frustration as Dominik Szoboszlai's stoppage-time penalty snatched a 2-2 draw for Liverpool at St James' Park.

Newcastle appeared destined for an eye-catching victory over Andoni Iraola's Reds, with Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock striking either side of Cody Gakpo's equaliser. But Liverpool were handed a lifeline in the dying moments when Lewis Hall made contact with Victor Munoz's knee inside the area, and Dominik Szoboszlai converted from the spot in the 99th minute.

Jaissle, who replaced Eddie Howe less than a month ago, felt the penalty decision was harsh and did not hold back in his assessment.

"If you give it, it's a really, really soft one and then you have to give many, many penalties throughout the game and throughout the season. I'm not a big fan of the decision,"

the German told BBC Match of the Day.

Despite the disappointment of conceding so late, Jaissle — the former Al-Ahli boss — was quick to praise the effort and commitment of his players as they adapt to his new approach.

"In the end, I am a bit disappointed. We were so close to getting the three points, for sure. But there is also some brightness, because the guys were doing an amazing job for over 90 minutes,"

he said.

"We are a young squad, and they really left their hearts on the pitch and this is something we can build on. I'm proud, we are proud to see a unit on the pitch. The guys were trying to do it in the intense way that we want to play; to be front-footed and vertical in our approach."

Jaisle added: "After such a short amount of time, I'm really happy. That is our philosophy. It depends on the opponent, but we have a clear idea of how we want to play and today we saw quite a lot of that."

A familiar tale of late heartbreak

The late equaliser continued a remarkable trend at St James' Park. Sunday's match was the fourth consecutive Premier League fixture between Newcastle and Liverpool on Tyneside to see a result-altering goal scored in the 90th minute or later. Liverpool previously scored late winners in August 2023 and August 2025, while the Magpies grabbed a last-gasp equaliser in December 2024.

The statistics also paint a concerning picture for Newcastle, who have now dropped 29 points from winning positions in the Premier League since the start of last season. Only Wolfsburg (33) have surrendered more among teams in Europe's top five leagues.

Jaisle embraces the St James' Park atmosphere

Despite the result, Jaissle was clearly moved by the experience of managing at St James' Park for the first time in competitive action.

"This is special, it's going to be a really cool season with big challenges as well. We're realistic, but we will get there,"

he said.

"I heard many things, but I felt the goosebumps straight away. You get energy from the stands, and you just want to deliver it on the pitch. This will be something special."

Jaisle's second competitive game at the helm comes against West Brom in the second round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday, before a Premier League visit to Tottenham next weekend.