Slot admits Liverpool ‘lucky’ after late Newcastle winner | OneFootball

Arne Slot has admitted Liverpool got ‘lucky’ after scoring in the final seconds of stoppage time to snatch a 3-2 win at Newcastle United.

16-year-old Rio Ngumoha scored the decisive goal on his Premier League debut, with the teenager slamming home from Mohamed Salah’s pass to decide an enthralling game.

Liverpool were second best for much of the contest, but took the lead against the run of play when Ryan Gravenberch drilled in a low finish from outside the area. The momentum of the game swung further in the Reds’ favour when Anthony Gordon was sent off in first-half stoppage time, following a wild lunge on Virgil van Dijk.

Hugo Ekitike doubled Liverpool’s lead almost immediately from the restart, but the Premier League champions wilted under Newcastle pressure.

Bruno Guimaraes reduced the deficit with a header, before William Osula burst in behind to leave.

Newcastle looked the likeliest winners late on, only for Liverpool to snatch the points. Ngumoha’s first senior goal ensured Liverpool claimed the points in dramatic fashion.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Slot discussed the decision to introduce the teenager and how his side were fortunate to escape St James’ Park with three points.

“We needed a goal but the best part for me of our game was after we conceded the 2-2 – it was also their best part of the game. But what I mean with that is I think they got three or four corner kicks after they scored the 2-2, 15 throw-ins, 112 free-kicks! Not as many as I’m saying but it felt as if it was so much and the two of them [Harvey Elliott and Ngumoha] were waving because I didn’t feel like I could bring them in if we had to defend so many corner kicks or set-pieces.

“They were so close to scoring the 3-2 but we stood strong. Virgil [van Dijk], Ali [Becker], Ibou [Konate], they helped us a lot in these moments.

“And then at last, after four or five minutes, we got the ball in a neutral position – I think we got a free-kick – [and] I could bring the both of them in. It’s, of course, special for him to score a goal in a moment like this. We know how it feels [as] last season we conceded the 3-3 in the 89th minute. And now we were the lucky ones – that’s what we were, we were lucky to get a winner over the line here.”

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