Only four PL fixtures have produced more goals than Newcastle vs Liverpool, and it didn’t take long at all for the deadlock to be broken.
It was a case of new coach, same problems for the Reds, who were sliced apart by a simple counter-attack, finished off coolly by Anthony Elanga for a fifth-minute lead.
The match continued at a high tempo, and Florian Wirtz nearly brought Liverpool level, but debutant Lukáš Horníček got across well to tip the ball past the post.
At the other end, a sharp-looking Yoane Wissa played a lovely ball in behind for William Osula, and Jeremy Jacquet had to be at full stretch to knock the ball to safety.
Elanga was almost in the clear again at the start of the second half, as another fast break threatened to catch Liverpool out. Moments later, a slightly better weight of pass from Wissa would have set Osula clean through, with the visitors looking shaky at the back as they tried to commit men forward.
However, they were rewarded for their endeavours, with Cody Gakpo fizzing in an equaliser from outside the box shortly after he had sent a sighter narrowly over the bar.
But Liverpool’s vulnerabilities never looked far away, and Newcastle were back in front in no time at all, Joe Willock dancing through the defence and placing his strike brilliantly beyond Alisson Becker.
The Magpies should really have doubled their advantage from a teasing Lewis Hall delivery, but a stretching Wissa somehow failed to make convincing contact.
Another brilliant opening fell to the striker late on, only for Alisson to deny him one-versus-one. And he was made to regret it with almost the last kick, as Hall brought down substitute Víctor Munoz in the box.
Up stepped Dominik Szoboszlai, who rifled his penalty into the top corner to rescue a point.
Liverpool’s dramatic draw just about salvages a league-leading run of 14 seasons and counting without an opening-day defeat, while Iraola has also maintained the division’s longest managerial unbeaten streak (W8, D11).
For Newcastle, it’s now 20 league encounters without a win against the Reds, and a cruel PL welcome for Jaissle.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)
