Rio Ngumoha the hero, Milos Kerkez struggles - Liverpool's winners and losers vs Newcastle United
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Charlie Grace
Mon 25 August 2025 22:35, UK
Liverpool left it late to earn a 3-2 victory away at Newcastle United on Monday Night Football.
The Premier League champions took a shock first half lead through Ryan Gravenberch, against the run of play.
On the stroke of half time Anthony Gordon was given his marching orders after a VAR intervention, and less than two minutes into the second half Hugo Ekitike’s third goal in three games doubled Liverpool’s advantage.
But the ten men of Newcastle refused to give up and first it was the captain Bruno Guimaraes who nodded in to half the deficit, before substitute William Osula poked home to get what the hosts thought was sure to be a well-earned point.
However, Liverpool showed the character of champions, as 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha cooly fired his side to victory after a clever dummy from Dominik Szoboszlai, to seal the three points for Arne Slot’s men.
(Credit: Imago)
Cody Gakpo
Gakpo was integral in everything that Liverpool did well in an attacking sense, assisting the two goals for his side.
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Hugo Ekitike
(Credit: Imago)
Ekitike continued his red-hot start to life at Liverpool, scoring in his third successive start since moving to Anfield from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Like Gakpo, Ekitike’s physicality was important to his side’s approach and teh Frenchman used his body well to hold off Newcastle defenders before linking play well.
Rio Ngumoha
In four days time Ngumoha turns 17, but it was an early birthday present for the young winger who showed experience and composure beyond his years to earn a win for his side.
The ex-Bournemouth man wasn’t able to showcase the marauding runs we’ve become so accustomed to him making during his Premier League career to date, and his defending has come into question after this showing.
Florian Wirtz
Wirtz arrived at Liverpool with so much deserved hype after lighting up the Bundesliga for Bayer Leverkusen off of the left flank.
Moving to Liverpool was always going to be a step up for the 22-year-old, having to compete for touches and space alongside other world class talents and so far in his two Premier League starts the adjustment has been taking time, with tonight being no different.
Curtis Jones
Jones had to play in midfield in place of Alexis Mac Allister, due to the impending birth of the Argentine’s child.