Alan Pardew has given his verdict on the Newcastle United match against Liverpool.
The game ending in a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park.
Matthias Jaissle’s team twice led, only for Liverpool to equalise twice.
Anthony Elanga had given United a fifth minute lead, only for Gakpo to equalise ten minutes after the break.
However, once the game restarted it was Newcastle United who very quickly surged up the other end and restored the lead, brilliant work from Yoane Wissa and Joe Willock an equally good finish.
It was though the final goal of the game that caused controversy.
A very soft penalty given to Liverpool after Lewis Hall challenged Munoz.
Alan Pardew declaring to Talksport how he thought Newcastle were robbed of a deserved three points by the decision in Liverpool’s favour: “Liverpool launch it into the box, it comes to him [Munoz] and it is light in my opinion. I think the referee should have let it go and not given it.”
Matthias Jaissle in agreement when talking to Sky Sports: “It is a really soft one. If you give that…there will be so many penalties in the future. I am not a fan of that but I cannot say any more.”
Szoboszlai gave Hornicek no chance with the spot-kick.
I thought that what was at least as bad as the penalty decision was the referee deciding to add five minutes on. There had not been a single time that a physio had come on to treat a player on the pitch in the entire second half, then the penalty given right at the end of that added five minutes. If this had been a Champions League match or a game at the World Cup, I doubt if there would have been more than two minutes.
Newcastle 2 Liverpool 2 – Sunday 23 August 2026 4.30pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Elanga 5, Willock 57
Liverpool:
Gakpo 55, Szoboszlai 90+9 pen
Possession was Newcastle 39% Liverpool 61%
Total shots were Newcastle 13 Liverpool 27
Shots on target were Newcastle 4 Liverpool 7
Corners were Newcastle 2 Liverpool 6
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 16 Liverpool 36
Newcastle United team v Liverpool:
Hornicek, Dedic, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Lewis Miley (Bamba 76), Steur (Ramsey 56), Elanga (Murphy 76), Barnes, Osula (Willock 56), Wissa (Schar 95)
Subs:
Jaouen, Toure, Woltemade, Shahar