Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle: Fabio Carvalho completes Reds comeback with last-second winner

Fabio Carvalho's last-gasp strike gave Liverpool a dramatic win as Newcastle United looked set to secure a point at Anfield.

Newcastle United's new £60m striker Alexander Isak crowned an impressive debut with a goal to give Eddie Howe's side the lead seven minutes before the break

The signing from Real Sociedad, who only received visa clearance to play hours before kick-off, had a second ruled out for offside before Liverpool mounted the comeback that ended with a familiar Anfield finale.

Liverpool were never at their best after Saturday's 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth but they maintained the pressure and were back on level terms just after the hour when Roberto Firmino sent a crisp finish beyond Newcastle keeper Nick Pope from Mohammed Salah's pass.

And with only seconds left, substitute Carvalho pounced at the far post after Newcastle failed to clear a corner to give Jurgen Klopp's side victory.

Liverpool fighting spirit wins through

Liverpool have a long history of late Anfield winners and this was another one to add to the list as victory was snatched from a disappointing draw.

Klopp's side struggled to mount any momentum in the face of Newcastle's stubborn resistance, as well as what the Liverpool bench and Anfield regarded as blatant time-wasting tactics.

That made it even more ironic that the winner came so late.

It was Carvalho, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Tuesday, who scored the headline-grabbing winner but it was another Liverpool youngster, Harvey Elliott, who took the fight to Newcastle as Anfield's anxiety mounted.

The 19-year-old was always probing, demanding the ball, driving Liverpool forward when his more experienced and illustrious colleagues could not make an impact.

Even Virgil van Dijk was not safe from Anfield's ire when he played a couple of lazy long passes in the second half but all was well that ended well as Carvalho emerged from a scramble to fire home the winner.

It may only be five games into the season but it was enough for Klopp to bring out his trademark fist pumps in front of the Kop.

Newcastle show growing maturity

Newcastle's attempts to halt Liverpool's rhythm and momentum may have provoked fury from the Anfield crowd and Klopp - leading to some angry exchanges at the final whistle - but there was much in this performance to satisfy manager Howe.

He will rightly state it is not his job to send out a team to play in a manner that will please the opposing manager and supporters, and if this game had ended a few seconds earlier the satisfaction would have been all his.

Instead Howe, along with his backroom staff and players, were the picture of despair as Carvalho fired in the injury-time decider.

When the dust settles, however, Howe will be pleased with the manner in which his Newcastle team defended with such organisation and maturity in front of their excellent goalkeeper Pope.

And on first sight, Newcastle have added real quality up front in new striker Isak.

The 22-year-old Swede showed pace, a tireless work-rate and serious threat, scoring one goal and showing real composure for what he thought was a second until the offside flag was raised.

Newcastle's performance was even more creditable as it was delivered without talisman Allan Saint-Maximin, main creator Bruno Guimaraes and last season's top scorer Callum Wilson.

The result was a disappointment for Howe but the performance will not be.

Player of the match

IsakAlexander Isak

Newcastle United

Squad number14Player nameIsak

Squad number2Player nameTrippier

Squad number22Player namePope

Squad number24Player nameAlmirón

Squad number7Player nameJoelinton

Squad number33Player nameBurn

Squad number21Player nameFraser

Squad number13Player nameTargett

Squad number28Player nameWillock

Squad number36Player nameS Longstaff

Squad number6Player nameLascelles

Squad number32Player nameAnderson

Squad number20Player nameWood

Squad number23Player nameMurphy

Line-ups

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

1Alisson

66Alexander-Arnold2Gomez4van Dijk26Robertson

19Elliott3Fabinho14Henderson

11Salah9Firmino23Díaz

Substitutes

Newcastle

Formation 4-3-3

22Pope

2Trippier6Lascelles33Burn13Targett

28Willock36S Longstaff7Joelinton

24Almirón14Isak21Fraser

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Liverpool 2, Newcastle United 1.

Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Newcastle United 1.

Goal! Liverpool 2, Newcastle United 1. Fábio Carvalho (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the top left corner. Assisted by Mohamed Salah following a corner.

Attempt blocked. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Roberto Firmino.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Dan Burn.

Attempt missed. Joe Gomez (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Harvey Elliott.

Luis Díaz (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Joelinton (Newcastle United).

James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Joelinton (Newcastle United).

Attempt missed. Fábio Carvalho (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by James Milner following a set piece situation.

Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Luis Díaz (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United).

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Elliot Anderson.

Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle United).

Attempt missed. Fabinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.

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