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Newcastle fans sing “Premier League corrupt as f***”, Arne Slot criticises Newcastle’s tactics

Newcastle fans sing “Premier League corrupt as f***”, Arne Slot criticises Newcastle’s tactics after Liverpool came away with a 3-2 win.

Rio Ngumoha scored late on to secure all three points, after the Magpies had come from 2-0 down with 10 men following Anthony Gordon’s red card.

The scrappy game featured 19 first-half fouls and the lowest ball-in-play percentage (40.8%) since 2010.

Arne Slot criticised the hosts’ approach, saying it didn’t feel like a football match as there wasn’t a lot of open play in a game dominated by set-pieces.

Newcastle started strong, but it was Gravenberch who scored the opener against run of play on 35 minutes. Gordon was sent off for a late challenge on Van Dijk before Ekitike doubled the lead. Guimaraes gave the hosts hope with a goal before Osula levelled to make it 2-2 on 88 minutes. 16-year-old Ngumoha come off the bench and produced a late winner in the 100th minute to restore Liverpool’s lead.

Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, speaking to Sky Sports, on Anthony Gordon’s red card: “I think he wanted to help too much. I think sometimes you are so excited to play you make some mistakes.

“It’s happened to me. We always try to give our best. There is a lot of noise outside that we cannot control.”

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, speaking to Sky Sports:

“We all know it’s a difficult place to come. We know there was a lot of oil on the fire this week to get Newcastle fired up. What happened tonight was expected and, for us, the disappointing part was that we conceded two set pieces. That shouldn’t happen but overall great three points, move on and focus on the next one.

“Free-kick, corner kicks the pressure gets on. They had the quality. If you look at the traditional top six here last season there was only a couple that beat them It’s always a difficult place to come. I enjoy these type of atmospheres, so I was really looking forward to it but we could’ve made it easier if we don’t give them those set pieces, then you give them the boost and the feeling and the drive with the fans behind them but we managed to get the three points and move on.”

On 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha’s winning goal: “It’s a dream debut for him. I think that whole attack was quite good. I think Harvey started it or our right-hand side and Fede did the dummy. It was a perfect attack. We stayed calm at the end to find the right solution to score the goal.

“I’m very pleased for Rio, I’ve said it to him already it all starts now, he has to keep working hard and stay humble but definitely have to enjoy this because these nights, you can’t take them for granted if you’re in his position. I’m sure with the players we have he will be back in training and having a hard session tomorrow again.”

On Anthony Gordon’s red card challenge on him: “I said to him, if that’s not a sending off then I don’t understand football. It was strange the referee had to go to the monitor in my opinion. Unfortunately, these things happen in football, if he meant it or not it happened, we move on.”

Liverpool boss Arne Slot, speaking to Sky Sports: “I’m not too sure it was a football match today. It was set-piece after set-piece, long-throw after long-throw. We didn’t collapse and stood strong. We didn’t play well enough on the ball. I don’t think there was so much open play.

“It didn’t have a lot to do with tactics, what I said before the game, but I liked a lot how we stood strong. Very difficult first half hour, 45 minutes, but we didn’t collapse at all, we stood strong.

“Going down to 10 men, you would expect that that is a big plus for us, but when a goalkeeper takes every free kick, then there’s not so much help if you are one player up, and that’s why it was so difficult for us to bring the 2-0 over the line.

“I don’t think there was so much open play to be played.

“In a set-piece, a long throw-in, a long ball from the goalkeeper, you don’t need an extra man. It’s always nice to have an extra player on hand, but it’s just not as beneficial as if they want to bring the ball out from the back and we can press them. So, yes, with the ball, the one and only attack that was good in the second half, apart from maybe the 2-0, that was the one that led to the goal, which was a great attack.

“And for the first time, we went from right to the middle to the left, and a great goal for a 16-year-old.

“Maybe it wasn’t the best game in terms of tactics or in terms of playing football, but I think every fan everywhere around the world enjoyed watching this game of football, also because their fans were amazing in terms of the help they gave the home team.”

He added: “It was a great goal for a 16-year-old. Rio [Ngumoha] can finish so well for his age. I did hear someway say afterwards in the dressing room he would have taken a first touch but he is so confident. For his age he is a really good finisher.”

Slot, speaking to BBC Sport: “Relief, because if you are 2-0 up against 10 men…they brought it back to 2-2 and maybe it was even deserved. Then they had more chances than we had. Their fans were so loud – wow! It was an amazing atmosphere. To end with a goal during the best attack we had…the feeling is relief. We found a way to win.”

On 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha scoring: “He is not afraid to play. It’s a great finish, great attack from the whole team.”

On conceding two goals: “if you want to be where we want to be at the end of the season, you have to start keeping clean sheets. We’ve conceded too many goals, but we have scored too.”

On signing players before next Monday’s transfer deadline: “We should talk about the game and Hugo Ekitike scoring for the third game in a row. This is not the moment or the place to say anything else.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe speaking to BBC MOTD: “I think it was a great performance from the players, both first and second half in very different ways., First half we thought we dominated the game. we were in a great place with just the goal missing. Second half we had a mountain to climb at 2-0 down with 10 men but I thought we controlled the game. I thought we were really good and fought our way back unbelievably well but couldn’t get over the line to get a point.

“I think it’s tough to play against 11 men, especially against a team with the quality of Liverpool. The first goal was key, it gave us belief, it got us back into the match and we always felt if the margin was one we’d be able to get something from the match.”

On William Osula’s goal: “It was a great finish from him and a big moment for us because at that moment you think could we go on and win the game. We put a lot of set plays into their box, we asked a lot of questions of them defensively but you always feel in that moment, especially with 11 minutes of injury time there’s always going to be chances for both teams and unfortunately, they took two of theirs in that second half. It’s a great finish from their perspective. We’d be disappointed with how we conceded that, even though we had a man less.”

On the injuries: I don’t know with Joe and Sandro, it doesn’t look good when a player comes off, especially because both looked in a little bit of pain, they’d be huge blow for us if they’re not available. Anthony will be suspended and Fabian had concussion, so not good.”

On Gordon’s red card: “I’ve only seen it once back and it was very quick as the game was going on. I think Anthony was going in full blooded into the challenge and he’s tried to pull out and slipped and his momentums taken him in. It didn’t look good but I don’t think there was any intent.”

There was plenty of reaction on Twitter after Newcastle fans sing “Premier League corrupt as f***”, and Arne Slot criticises Newcastle’s tactics…

@TheImmortalKop: Genuinely laughable Newcastle fans hyped this game up to be a bloodbath and they ended up with two injuries, a red card and conceded a 100th minute winner to a 16 year old, I’d go into hiding if I was them

@LkWtsn: Imagine being Alexander Isak. Sat at home watching your #NUFC teammates down to 10 men giving it their all against the champions while you you’re in a huff coz your 150k a week isn’t enough to show up and do your job. Absolute Rat behaviour.

@Itzstuie1:
Arguably a Konate red
Arguably a Gravenberch red
Arguably an NUFC pen
Arguably longer than 2mins added in the first half
Arguably less than 11 mins in the 2nd half
0/5 went for #NUFC
This is why corruption chants carry weight, you expect to get one of those minimum.

@Jake_armstrong9: Dominant our duels, press them off the park and exploit them in transition. Make this game as chaotic as possible, don’t let them get a foot on the ball, use the crowd as much as possible. INTO EMMMM #NUFC

@NSpares: Massive effort from the lads tonight. I hope they’re proud of themselves. So unlucky to lose that. On another note, it’s an absolute disgrace how many Liverpool fans were in the #NUFC end yet again. Particularly the prick giving it large from the Milburn boxes and no stewards having the decency to either chuck him out or tell him to stay in the box. Great of the club to put their own fans in danger at every away ground with their bullshit ticket checks and yet they let these wankers in our home stadium year after year. Do better @NUFC . Utterly shit. Whilst I’m on my high horse…… Tell you what, if that Swedish tosser had an ounce of professionalism, we’d be sat on 6 points so far. I don’t give a shit if he stays or goes but, whatever happens, he’ll not have my forgiveness. Wanker.

@AdamP1242: Joelinton injured, Tonali injured, Schar injured, boy hood Liverpool fan Gordon sent off against Liverpool, Isak sitting at home with the popcorn and we have lost in the 110th minute to a player 8 years younger than me. My head is on mars this evening 😅 #NUFC

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