Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai insisted that his side “should have won” against Newcastle United despite needing a 99th-minute penalty to salvage a draw.
The Reds began a new era in the Premier League under manager Andoni Iraola, though they found themselves a goal behind within five minutes after Anthony Elanga raced clear and slid past Alisson.
It was an end-to-end game at St James’ Park and neither side was able to wrestle control, though Liverpool found themselves level after a speculative drive from Cody Gakpo found the far corner.
The visitors weren’t level for long though, Yoane Wissa playing it to Joe Willock before the midfielder curled a superb finish past Alisson for 2-1.
And though Newcastle looked for a while like they might earn a superb three points in Matthias Jaissle’s first game in charge, there was a late mistake from Lewis Hall as he clipped Victor Munoz in the area with almost the final action of the game.
Szoboszlai stepped up to rifle a brilliant penalty into the top corner with the final kick of the game, with Newcastle deflated and Liverpool having snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat.
“If I am honest, we should have won. But that’s football,” said Szoboszlai after full-time.
“You don’t win easy in the Premier League – doesn’t matter who you play against. We have to be aware of that and we need to take care in the next game. We will never give up. I can guarantee you that. We have to fight every time – all day long for 90 minutes.
“Everybody who came off the bench also made an impact as well today. We need the whole squad and we need to be ready,” he added.
New Liverpool boss Iraola agreed that his side deserved more, saying that it was “difficult to express the feeling”.
“It’s probably not the result you want when you come in before the game but we definitely deserve this point and even more,” said the Spaniard.
“The team has never given up and we’ve recovered one point and probably the taste is better because we score in the last minute. I think it has been a difficult game in terms of starting to lose the game with this atmosphere and I think we have done enough,” he added.
The result takes Liverpool into ninth in the league after the first round of games, with the Reds’ second game of the new season coming next week as they face Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s early kick-off.
