Klopp: Added-time winner ‘perfect response’ to Newcastle time-wasting

Fabio Carvalho scored a dramatic – and contentious – 98th-minute winner as Liverpool came from behind to defeat Newcastle 2-1 on a pulsating night at Anfield.

Just a day after his 20th birthday, substitute Carvalho reacted quickest to score from close range in stoppage time, when five allocated minutes became nine to leave Eddie Howe raging on the touchline.

Alexander Isak’s debut goal for Newcastle had been cancelled out by Roberto Firmino’s equaliser, and it appeared Liverpool would have to settle for a result which would have left them nine points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

For so long this felt like a case of ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ for Liverpool following Saturday’s 9-0 win over Bournemouth.

Jurgen Klopp opted to name an unchanged starting line-up but his side continued to look off the pace in these early weeks of the season, and fell behind when Isak confidently rifled home on his first start for Newcastle in the 38th minute, just hours after he had been granted his work permit and the green light to play on Merseyside.

Isak might have had a second in the second period but his well-taken finish was ruled out for offside, and Liverpool levelled when Firmino slotted from Mohamed Salah’s pass in the 61st minute.

Newcastle sensed they would continue their unbeaten start to the season as the clock ticked into the 98th minute of stoppage time, but Carvalho would have the final say when he swivelled inside the box to hook a right-foot shot high above Nick Pope and in off the underside of the bar.

How Carvalho beat the clock for Liverpool

Liverpool were hoping this home contest would prove to be the start of a more consistent run of form following on from Saturday’s 9-0 drubbing of Bournemouth. Newcastle arrived on Merseyside unbeaten in their four previous Premier League games this term, but Eddie Howe was once again without their midfield linchpin Bruno Guimaraes.

Having equalled their biggest top-flight win, Liverpool were unsurprisingly full of confidence and in the ascendancy from the first whistle with Luis Diaz seeing his shot from inside the box blocked.

The Colombia international had a glorious chance just three minutes before Isak’s opener as he ran onto Firmino’s measured through ball to round Pope only to lift his shot from an acute angle wide of the target.

Liverpool would concede the first goal for an eighth time in their last nine Premier League matches, however, as Isak marked his debut with a goal in the 38th minute.

Virgil van Dijk found himself dragged wide by Miguel Almiron as Sean Longstaff slipped the ball through and Isak found space between two defenders before firing into the top left-hand corner.

Newcastle’s intent was rewarded while Liverpool looked subdued during a first half in which they attacked The Kop.

Isak was denied his second when he was deemed to be just ahead of Joe Gomez as he raced into the Liverpool box, chopped back inside Andrew Robertson before beating Alisson only to realise the offside flag had been raised. It was a very close call.

Pope was finally drawn into action on the hour-mark as after Salah was unable to take Jordan Henderson’s pass in his stride, Harvey Elliott picked up the loose ball but his low shot was comfortably fielded by the former Burnley goalkeeper.

A minute later, however, Liverpool were level when Mohamed Salah teed up Firmino for a crisp finish low into the bottom corner. Jurgen Klopp made a triple substitution in a bid to inject greater urgency but they were frustrated by a sea of black and white shirts.

Pope watched Diaz’s fierce drive from distance to palm the shot over the crossbar before a Kostas Tsimikas free-kick landed at the feet of Fabinho but his panicked attempt was lashed off target.

It seemed Newcastle had done enough to earn a valuable point but after James Milner’s corner was kept alive by Joe Gomez, Salah rose at the far post to inadvertently set up Carvalho for an instinctive, unstoppable finish beyond Pope.

Newcastle are now winless in 12 Premier League games against Liverpool, since a 2-0 home win in December 2015 under Steve McClaren. On nights like these, when victory slipped away during the second half, they may wonder when they will get a better chance of ending that run.

Golden boy Carvalho announces himself

Sky Sports football journalist Ben Grounds:

“All those years ago, Stan Collymore broke Newcastle hearts. That night in April 1996, when Liverpool won 4-3 against Newcastle at Anfield, Fabio Carvalho was not even born.

“Seen as the greatest Premier League game of all time – he will certainly have heard about it by now a few times since scoring in the 98th minute of a meeting that never lets you down.

“Jason Tindall, the Newcastle assistant head coach, had his arms outstretched towards the fourth official David Coote, Jurgen Klopp struggled to stifle a huge grin. He knew his side had got away with one here, not just in the performance but in the timing – and manner – of the winning goal.

“Joe Willock did not know much about where the ball had dropped – in the same way Jordan Pickford did not when Divock Origi struck in the 96th minute against Everton back in December 2018. Carvalho certainly did, watching it all the way onto his right boot before launching a rocket past Pope.

“Newcastle protests were drowned out by The Kop. What a birthday present, a day after turning 20, to enliven Anfield. Carvalho was lifted into the sky by the excellent Harvey Elliott. Klopp said how a 1-0 win over Bournemouth would have satisfied him just as much as it did in seeing his side score nine.

“Here was that slender win on a night when his side had not performed anywhere near their best. A sickener for Newcastle but Klopp will feel relief and delight in equal measure, and this was just the sort of result that will rouse the mood heading into Saturday’s Merseyside derby at Everton.”

What’s next?

Liverpool travel to Everton for the Merseyside derby on Saturday at 12.30pm, before Newcastle host Crystal Palace on Saturday at 3pm.