Newcastle United Vs Liverpool [2-2] Premier League 2026/2027: How Matthias Jaissle Tactics Punished Andoni Iraola Transition Problems – Tactical Analysis

Newcastle United and Liverpool faced off in the first instalment of Super Sunday football in the Premier League this season.

The game lived up to its billing as a high-scoring, high-drama affair.

This one ended 2-2, with a 90+9 minute equaliser from the penalty spot.

It was a game that saw Newcastle take an early lead through Anthony Elanga.

Liverpool then dominated the ball and the shot count, but had to wait until the 55th minute to actually equalise.

Andoni Iraola's side kept things equal for two minutes, when Joe Willock's winding run and finish from outside the box gave the Magpies another lead.

Things looked desperate for the Reds in the late exchanges, and Newcastle had another few opportunities with low crosses across the six-yard box to finish the game off.

Yet, in typical fashion for this fixture (see Stan Collymore in 1996 and Rio Ngumoha last season), there was another late goal.

Víctor Muñoz read a knockdown better than anyone else and burst into the box before knocking the ball past Lewis Hall (who was arguably the best player on the pitch up to that point), who took him out.

Dominik Szoboszlai kept his cool and smashed the ball into the goal.

This tactical analysis will look at how both Matthias Jaissle and Iraola set up their sides for the first time, what their teams did well and where they'll be looking for improvements in the next few weeks.

Newcastle United Vs Liverpool Lineups & Formations

Newcastle United Lineup Vs Liverpool

Jaissle's first Newcastle lineup was an interesting one.

The North-East club had gone through major losses this summer, including manager Eddie Howe, under a month ago.

They had also lost midfielders Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães to Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, respectively, as well as Anthony Gordon to Barcelona.

New signing Lukáš Horníček started in goal after arriving from SC Braga.

The back four featured three out of four players who were there last season: Hall, Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw.

Amar Dedić started at right-back, having previously worked under the manager at Red Bull Salzburg.

The midfield looked thin going into this, with 18-year-old Sean Steur (signed from Ajax) and 20-year-old Lewis Miley working alongside each other in a double pivot.

Ahead of them were Elanga on the right, Harvey Barnes on the left and Yoane Wissa just behind striker William Osula.

Jaissle used all five substitutions at his disposal.

Willock and Jacob Ramsey came on for Steur and Osula before the hour mark.

Aladji Bamba and Jacob Murphy arrived with 15 minutes to go, and Fabian Schär replaced Wissa in injury time.

Liverpool Lineup Vs Newcastle United

Iraola's first lineup was expected, with Liverpool's squad looking small with just a week left in the window.

Alisson Becker started in goal.

Again, there was only one new addition in Liverpool's back four, Jérémy Jacquet.

He started alongside Virgil van Dijk as his centre-back partner, with Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong in the full-back positions.

Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch started as the midfield base, with Ngumoha, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo ahead of them.

Alexander Isak made his return to St. James' Park as the striker.

Iraola made four subs (maybe pointing towards his lack of options).

Alexis Mac Allister and Muñoz replaced Ngumoha and Wirtz on 63'.

Ronald Araújo replaced Jacquet seven minutes later, and Lewis Koumas came on with 12 minutes of normal time to go for Gravenberch.

Getting Caught In Transition

This game started with incredible intensity.

Both teams showed their attacking intent, and we got our first goal within five minutes.

This goal can be looked at from two angles.

For Newcastle, it was an incredible piece of counterattacking football, using the incredible pace they have in their side to exploit teams.

For Liverpool, it was evidence of some of the issues people had expected for them.

It started with bad decision-making in the final third.

Gravenberch has beaten his man and is driving towards the box; he has options ahead of him, with Szoboszlai (which will play into how Newcastle score) and Gakpo wide, and Isak making his move through the middle.

The Dutchman opts to go out to the left, but his pass is underhit and allows Dedić to intercept, shifting the ball into the path of Osula.

Liverpool's midfield have vacated, with Gravenberch and Szobozslai both in the Newcastle box.

The full-backs have also pushed up high, leaving just Van Dijk and Jacquet back.

Osula carries the ball, and Kerkez is done by Elanga's pace, unable to track his man effectively.

Elanga then has the time and space to put the ball across Alisson and into the goal.

There's also a hint of poor positioning from the Brazilian goalkeeper, who has set himself up too close to his near post.

This goal comes from poor decision-making in attack, but everything that happens after that will concern Iraola.

The Basque manager is someone who appreciates his midfielders getting forward, but there has to be an element of control.

If one goes, someone needs to come in to cover the space.

If both midfielders go, then at least one of the full-backs needs to tuck in and cover, but both Kerkez and Frimpong have gone too.

Both full-backs struggled in particular in this game.

Kerkez struggled with Elanga, and Newcastle repeatedly looked to hit long balls over to his side of the pitch.

Frimpong struggled positionally and physically and was at fault for Newcastle's second goal.

It again comes from poor decision-making from Gravenberch.