Super sub Nunez hits double as 10-man Liverpool shock Newcastle
There was once a time when Liverpool’s backline felt impenetrable, but those days are long gone. While the Reds showed flashes of their attacking prowess early on, with Luis Díaz forcing Nick Pope into a brilliant save shortly before the half-hour mark, the visitors soon found themselves living out a nightmare on Tyneside.
Fortunate not to receive his marching orders after elbowing Anthony Gordon when he’d already been booked, Trent Alexander-Arnold was the culprit as the former Everton winger gave his side the lead, as his failure to control a simple pass allowed his opponent to bear down on goal unchallenged.
Within a matter of minutes, Jürgen Klopp’s men found themselves reduced to 10 men, as Virgil van Dijk was sent off for fouling Alexander Isak as the last man.
For the second time in eight days, the Merseyside outfit would have to compete a man light, and on this occasion, they appeared unable to cause their hosts any considerable problems unlike versus Bournemouth last time.
In fact, it required a wonderful stop from Alisson Becker to deny Miguel Almirón as Eddie Howe’s charges tried to put the game to bed.
Despite possessing a goal and a man advantage, the Magpies were more cautious after the interval and appeared happy to let their guests enjoy the lion’s share of the ball.
They were by far the more dangerous of the two sides though, and should have extended their lead. Miguel Almirón was particularly lively, and after firing a volley high over the bar from close range, he struck the post with a curling effort from further out.
Ultimately, the Paraguay international would rue those missed chances as Liverpool completed a stunning comeback. Núñez, so often a livewire, was his side’s hero, burying a low shot into the corner from an angle after Sven Botman got himself in a tangle.
With the encounter seemingly meandering towards a share of the spoils, Klopp’s super-sub stepped up to the plate once more, dispatching an effort beyond Pope in what was almost an exact replica of his equaliser after being slotted through by Mohamed Salah.
The result is a huge one for Klopp’s men, who kept up their incredible H2H dominance that dates back to 2015, but it was a dagger through the heart at the death for Newcastle which keeps them winless since matchday one.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Darwin Núñez (Liverpool)
