Newcastle 2 Liverpool 3 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players | OneFootball

We asked Davey Hat-Trick to give us his match ratings and player comments after Newcastle 2 Liverpool 3.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the end of this game. I thought we were the better side – dominant in many phases of the game – yet we left empty-handed.

Football can be cruel sometimes and it was cruel to Newcastle tonight.

For the first half an hour, we were much better than our opponents, although we didn’t fashion any clear-cut openings. I shall state the obvious and say that as in the Villa game last week, the presence of a natural striker would have made the difference.

Liverpool scored from a half-chance, totally against the run of play, and for a while, that seemed to affect Newcastle. We lost our composure, and picked up a red card. Then before we could settle into the second half, we were 0-2 down. At that point, I thought we’d end up on the end of a battering.

Yet something stirred inside St James Park and the ten men of Newcastle put on a display of brave, passionate and committed football to make every Geordie proud. We were magnificent and had Liverpool arguing amongst themselves and making schoolboy errors.

We somehow got the score back to 2-2, and went looking for more. By this time, we’d lost Tonali, Joelinton and Schär to injury, Tripps to exhaustion.

Then – as so often with Liverpool when they play us – they got themselves a winner in the dying seconds of the game. It was such a bitter pill to swallow, but the way the crowd applauded the Newcastle team off the pitch tells you everything you need to know about how well we did.

If we were marking the players on commitment alone, they’d all be 10/10. I was proud of them.

Nick Pope – 7

Could have done better for the first goal but otherwise blameless. Made a couple of decent saves.

Kieran Trippier – 7

One of the leaders of the resistance.

Showed character and attitude which infected his team mates.

Got over-excited once or twice, but never let his head drop

Fabian Schar – 7

Decent game, not a great game.

A bit flat-footed once or twice in defence but got stuck in all game.

Dan Burn – 8

Really good. Another on-field leader.

Got his head on just about everything in defence and won the header that led to Osula’s equaliser.

Tino Livramento – 9

What a cracking player this lad is.

Defended well, attacked well, didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.

Bruno Guimaraes – 9

I didn’t think he was at his best in the first half, but once the score went to 0-2, and especially when his two midfield buddies had to go off, he was magnificent.

Led by example and drove Newcastle on relentlessly. A captain’s performance.

Sandro Tonali – 7

Battled away manfully until injury curtailed his evening.

Wasn’t quite the imperious player we saw at Villa last week but did OK.

Joelinton – 8

I thought he was our best player for large parts of the game.

The perfect amount of aggression and a fair bit of skill. His injury looked bad. I hope it isn’t.

Harvey Barnes – 6

Toiled away but didn’t affect the game in a meaningful way.

Doesn’t have that burst of pace to go past his man. If he did, he could have had a field day against Szoboszlai, who is not a right back.

Anthony Gordon – 5

Led the line quite well, I thought, given that he is no one’s idea of a number nine.

But a reckless tackle meant we played over half the game a man down.

I’ll put it down to over-enthusiasm, but it was unnecessary, and make the next three games even more challenging.

Anthony Elanga – 7

I like the look of this lad. He’s rapid, brave and keen.

If we ever get a proper centre forward on the pitch, he will prove to be an asset to the team.

Lewis Miley – 6

I was a bit surprised that he was the first one off the bench, but he looked comfortable. Did OK

Jacob Ramsey – 6

Decent introduction.

Athletic, keen, composed.

It’s more than likely he’ll be starting the next few games and he looks ready.

Lewis Hall – 6

Did well when he came on, I thought.

A mature performance. Good player.

William Osula 7

Well played lad.

Put himself about with enthusiasm and lifted the roof off the stadium when he got the equaliser.

He’ll get more minutes in Gordon’s absence. It might just work.

Malick Thiaw – N/A (Not on long enough to rate)

One rick, one piece of class. Glad to have him aboard.

Newcastle 2 Liverpool 3 – Monday 25 August 2025 8pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Gordon red card 45+3, Bruno 57, Osula 88

Liverpool

Gravenberch 35, Ekitike 46, Nugumoha 90+10

Possession was Newcastle 38% Liverpool 62%

Total shots were Newcastle 10 Liverpool 5

Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Liverpool 4

Corners were Newcastle 7 Liverpool 1

Touches in the box Newcastle 27 Liverpool 15

Newcastle team v Liverpool:

Pope, Trippier (Hall 76), Schar (Thiaw 81), Burn, Livramento, Joelinton (Ramsey 76), Tonali (Miley 66), Bruno, Barnes (Osula 76), Gordon, Elanga

Unused subs:

Ramsdale, Botman, Jacob Murphy, Willock

(Jamie Carragher brilliantly sums up the truth of Newcastle 2 Liverpool 3 – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 2 Liverpool 3 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Football can be a cruel game – Newcastle 2 Liverpool 3 – Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming match schedule:

Saturday 30 August – Leeds v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 13 September – Newcastle v Wolves (3pm)

Saturday 20 September – Bournemouth v Newcastle (3pm)

Sunday 28 September– Newcastle v Arsenal (4.30pm) Sky Sports