Newcastle 1–0 Liverpool: Elanga's Early Strike Highlights Defensive Issues

Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool tenure barely had time to draw breath before it was hit by a brutal early punch at St James’ Park.

On the opposite bench, Matthias Jaissle was also feeling his way into life as Newcastle boss, but his side exploded out of the blocks. Liverpool actually started on the front foot, Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo both threatening from early openings, yet within moments they were chasing shadows and a deficit.

The breakthrough came with ruthless simplicity. William Osula dropped into space, turned, and slid a pass into the channel. Anthony Elanga saw it first, Milos Kerkez didn’t see him again.

The Swedish winger burned past the Liverpool left-back, opened his body and drilled a precise finish across Alisson and into the far corner. One sharp movement, one clean strike, and Newcastle’s season was up and running.

The goal itself was crisp. The defending, less so – and Gary Neville did not hold back on Sky Sports.

“Alisson might be a little close to that near post and it leaves a gaping hole for Elanga to find. That gap is far too big,” he said, questioning the Liverpool goalkeeper’s starting position as Elanga bore down on goal.

Neville’s criticism didn’t stop there. He turned quickly to the centre of Liverpool’s back line, where Van Dijk and new signing Jeremy Jacquet had been preferred together, with Ronald Araujo left on the bench.

“You would expect Van Dijk and Jacquet to go with Osula but they let him drop in and turn,” Neville argued. “They don’t push in. They are 15-20 yards deep of where they should be. You see Arsenal’s defenders do it to perfection.”

The move summed up Liverpool’s early issues under Iraola: bright in possession, vulnerable the moment the ball turned over. Newcastle sensed that fragility and attacked it.

Iraola had already made one big call before kick-off, handing Jacquet his competitive debut from the start ahead of Araujo. Speaking pre-match, the Liverpool manager admitted it had been a tight decision.

“It was a difficult call. Both of them played well in the last friendly,” he said. “Jeremy is comfortable with and without the ball. Playing against Osula and Wissa, who are good players, will not be easy. We have Ronald ready to go if we need him.”

Within minutes, that judgement was under the microscope. Osula found room between the lines far too easily, Elanga punished the space in behind, and Neville’s verdict on Liverpool’s defensive shape echoed around the broadcast.

“Newcastle’s best form of defense is attack and it turns into a sprint between Kerkez and Elanga. Liverpool can’t catch him and he has to find the finish and he does,” Neville added, summing up how quickly the visitors were carved open.

Liverpool had gone into the game looking to set the tone for a new era, pressing high and trying to pin Newcastle back in front of a restless St James’ Park crowd. Instead, one straight ball, one lost footrace and one exposed goalkeeper left Iraola with an early, stark reminder of the work still to be done.