Dominik Szoboszlai’s 99th-minute penalty rescued Liverpool from defeat as they fought back for a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United in the opening Premier League match of new manager Andoni Iraola’s reign.

Newcastle strike first

Newcastle took the lead in the fifth minute when Anthony Elanga finished a counter-attack, ending a run of 40 Premier League appearances without a goal dating back to his time with Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool struggled to turn possession and pressure into clear chances during the first half. Florian Wirtz went close, but Newcastle goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek was largely untroubled before the interval.

Gakpo and Willock trade quick-fire goals

Liverpool levelled in the 55th minute when Cody Gakpo drilled a superb effort into the bottom-left corner from distance. Newcastle responded almost immediately, with Joe Willock scoring less than two minutes after coming off the bench following a driving run from Yoane Wissa.

Wissa then had two opportunities to extend Newcastle’s lead. He failed to convert from Lewis Hall’s cross before seeing a close-range effort saved by Alisson. Those misses ultimately proved costly.

Munoz wins the decisive penalty

Liverpool’s late pressure intensified as fresh substitutes added energy to Iraola’s side. Victor Munoz, who had previously been a Newcastle transfer target before joining Liverpool from Osasuna, was brought down inside the area by Hall in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

Szoboszlai stepped up and struck the penalty beyond Hornicek to complete Liverpool’s comeback. The goal, timed at 98 minutes and six seconds, was Liverpool’s latest successful Premier League penalty since Dirk Kuyt scored against Arsenal in April 2011.

“The players coming off the bench gave us energy,” Iraola told Sky Sports. “With the way we want to play, everyone is not going to last 90 minutes. So, we need this energy from the bench.”

Szoboszlai said he stayed focused despite uncertainty over whether VAR would review the incident. “When the decision was made, I just stepped up and tried my best,” he said.

Newcastle’s late frustration continues

The result extended Newcastle’s winless run against Liverpool to 20 consecutive top-flight matches. Liverpool also maintained their unbeaten record on the opening Premier League matchday for a 14th straight season.

There were concerns for Iraola to address, however. Both Newcastle goals came from fast breaks, and Liverpool have conceded nine goals from such situations since the start of last season, more than any other Premier League side.

Newcastle, meanwhile, have now dropped 29 points from winning positions in the Premier League since the beginning of last season. The draw leaves both new managers with clear positives—and significant defensive and game-management issues to solve.

Liverpool next face Nottingham Forest, while Newcastle will look to turn an encouraging performance into a first win under Jaissle.