Liverpool don escape from St James' Park wit one point after Dominik Szoboszlai score 99th-minute penalty make am 2-2 for Newcastle for di opening weekend of Premier League.
But di game don raise plenty questions about di Reds, especially from pundit Jamie Carragher wey don talk say di £445m transfer spend last summer fit be di worst ever for Premier League history.
Newcastle don take lead twice, first through Anthony Elanga and den Joe Willock, but Liverpool keep fighting. Szoboszlai bin hold im nerve for di spot for front of hostile crowd, but e no be celebration wey dey sweet—e be more like relief.
Andoni Iraola, di new Liverpool boss, talk say im side no deserve to lose. ‘We definitely deserve dis point and even more. Di team never give up and we recover one point,’ e tell BBC Radio 5 Live.
But Carragher, wey dey analyse for Sky Sports, no gree soft-talk di matter. E say di midfield no fit function wit di current personnel. ‘I don’t believe that midfield can function wit di personnel wey dey there. For me, e no work. And e no be only personnel—e be di structure wey di manager dey ask for,’ e talk.
Liverpool field Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai as di double pivot, wit Florian Wirtz for No 10. But Szoboszlai often dey push forward, and e plus Gravenberch and Wirtz dey empty di midfield, wey give Newcastle space to counter-attack.
‘All dem dey think na to go forward. All three of dem. And dat one na why e no fit work,’ Carragher talk. ‘I no think I ever see a more offensive team pass dat one for Premier League. Only di two centre-backs no dey think about going forward.’
Carragher also blame Virgil van Dijk, wey dey sit deep instead of stepping up to cover spaces behind di pressing midfielders. ‘You get situation wey be like Man Utd under Erik ten Hag few years ago—a team wey wan press high but wit deep block. Dat one na why big holes dey appear. Di midfield players wan lock on, but Van Dijk no wan follow dem.’
E talk say Van Dijk need protection and cuddling. ‘He needs protecting, he needs cuddling, he needs looking after.’
Di pundit believe Liverpool need sign holding midfielder to help Gravenberch. Szoboszlai should go back to No 10, but if dat happen, where Wirtz go sit? Carragher no see any role for di German for Iraola setup. Wirtz only score five goals and get three assists for 33 Premier League appearances last season. ‘Dis tin wey dem say person need one year to settle for Premier League, I think na myth. I no see where e fit for di team at all,’ e talk.
Carragher also talk say Liverpool last season concede 78 goals, 53 for EPL, wey be di most ever for Premier League. Yet dem still dey buy wingers instead of fixing di midfield problem. E doubt whether Wirtz worth £110m. ‘I think what we see for one year na probably wetin e be—neat and tidy footballer. No be player wey suppose worth £110m, maybe £50m-60m. Neat and tidy, lovely touch. I no sure wetin people dey expect,’ e talk.
Di transfer window wey Liverpool do last summer include Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Giovanni Leoni. Isak bin sign for a Premier League record £125m from Newcastle, and e dey booed throughout di match. E get 28 touches but waste one golden chance for di second half.
Pat Nevin, wey dey talk for 5 Live, say di team lack creativity. ‘You dey expect Liverpool to get top four at least, but dem no look like top four team today. More players dey come, so you no fit decide how di season go go. But dere’s definite lack of creativity, and somehow dem must get di best out of Wirtz and Isak because you no see di best of dem today.’
Cody Gakpo na one positive for Liverpool. E score di first goal and na im be di best player for di pitch. But di club still dey look for more attackers, and Gakpo fit leave if two more players come. Dem don link wit Bradley Barcola, Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG, and dem don get two bids rejected for Yankuba Minteh from Brighton.
Victor Munoz, na im come from bench for im Liverpool debut, and e won di late penalty. But Rio Ngumoha, di 17-year-old, struggle for di right side and dem replace am after just over 60 minutes. Iraola dey like im wingers fit play both sides, but dat experiment no work today.
Defensively, both Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong get poor game. Di lack of defensive midfielder show, and e dey revealing say Iraola use Alexis Mac Allister just ahead of di back four after Joe Willock score.
Liverpool don concede more goals via fast breaks since start of last season pass any other Premier League team—nine goals. Dem still get plenty questions to answer.
Szoboszlai talk say ‘We never give up. I dey guarantee you. We get to fight every time—all day long for di 90 minutes. Everybody wey come from bench make impact too. We need di whole squad.’
But Carragher no believe Liverpool go win title dis season. ‘I no think Liverpool go be contenders dis season. Liverpool dey for transition. If Liverpool qualify for Champions League dis season, I go happy. Di manager go settle, and den you fit go from there and challenge.’
