ShareLONDON: Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score twice in the final 10 minutes as 10-man Liverpool came from a goal down to stun Newcastle 2-1 at St. James’ Park on Sunday. Anthony Gordon had pounced on a Trent Alexander-Arnold mistake to put the Magpies in front before Virgil van Dijk was sent off for bringing down Alexander Isak inside half an hour. But Newcastle failed to make the man advantage count and were punished when Nunez produced two moments of quality rare so far in his Liverpool career to turn the game on its head.
Liverpool spent a club-record £85 million on Nunez just over a year ago, but the Uruguayan has found himself behind Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo in the battle to be Jurgen Klopp’s preferred number nine early in the season. Nunez was unleashed from the bench 13 minutes from time and made the most of his opportunity as he was twice released behind the Newcastle defence and both times kept his nerve to fire low and hard beyond Nick Pope. Victory keeps Liverpool two points behind leaders Manchester City and lays down an early-season marker after Newcastle usurped the Reds to secure Champions League football last season.
Liverpool were lucky not to be a man down after just six minutes. Alexander-Arnold had already been booked for throwing the ball away when he pulled down Gordon as the Newcastle man tore down the left wing. But to the astonishment of the home crowd and Newcastle bench, referee John Brooks did not produce a second yellow card. Joe Gomez was sent out by Klopp to warm up with one eye on replacing Alexander-Arnold to keep him out of further trouble. The Liverpool boss might have wished he had made that change as Alexander-Arnold’s failure to control Mohamed Salah’s pass allowed Gordon to run clear on goal and score just his second Newcastle goal since a £45 million move from Everton in January.
Earlier, Manchester City extended their perfect start to the Premier League season as Rodri sealed a dramatic 2-1 win against Sheffield United after Erling Haaland scored once and missed a penalty for the champions on Sunday. Haaland drove a first half spot-kick against the post before his header put City in front after the break at Bramall Lane. City were in danger of squandering the points when Jayden Bogle equalised against the run of play with just five minutes left. But Rodri saved City with a blistering strike three minutes later as Pep Guardiola’s side moved to the top of the table after a third successive victory.
City’s latest success was achieved without Guardiola, who was watching on television while he recuperates after back surgery in Barcelona. The City boss was in constant contact with his assistant Juanma Lillo, who took the reins at Bramall Lane and will also be in charge for the champions’ clash with Fulham on Saturday. Guardiola’s rehabilitation will have been aided by the knowledge that City can thrive in his absence. Although he achieved it from afar, it was a landmark victory for Guardiola, who now has 200 league wins with City in just 269 games, beating the previous Premier League record of 326 matches to reach that milestone set by Jose Mourinho in 2020.
Aston Villa powered to a 3-1 win at Burnley as Matty Cash’s double extended a remarkable goal spree from Unai Emery’s side. After losing 5-1 at Newcastle in their season opener, Villa had rebounded by routing Everton 4-0 and crushing Hibernian 5-0. They made it 12 goals in three games. Burnley have lost their first two games this term. John McGinn’s eighth minute pass found Ollie Watkins and his cross was perfectly weighted for Cash to finish with aplomb from close-range. Cash netted again in the 20th minute, smashing home after a swift exchange of passes with Moussa Diaby.
In the 47th minute, Burnley’s Lyle Foster fired home to become the first South African to score a Premier League goal since Steven Pienaar netted for Everton in 2013. But Diaby ended Burnley’s uprising in the 61st minute with a clinical finish from Lucas Digne’s cut back. Later on Sunday, Newcastle and Liverpool meet at St James’ Park in an intriguing clash between two sides with title ambitions. – AFP
