Eddie Howe was left with mixed emotions after seeing Newcastle succumb to a remarkable Liverpool fightback.
The Magpies’ head coach saw his players work themselves to within nine minutes of a first victory over Jurgen Klopp’s 10 men since December 2015 before they were floored by two late sucker punches to lose 2-1.
Howe admitted after the game that his players were hurting in the wake of Darwin Nunez’s last-gasp double, but sought to put a painful reverse a week after a narrow defeat at champions Manchester City into perspective.
He said: “I’d want them to be hurting after that because we pride ourselves on trying to win first and foremost and if we can’t, then we do everything we can to draw the game. But that’s certainly a game we shouldn’t have lost.
“My role in this now is to calm everything down and try to see perspective. Results will always sway opinions, but from the first two games we’ve had, we’ve been very close to more points, we’ve been very competitive and there have been some really good signs.
“But we probably haven’t had the points that we deserve.”
Newcastle looked to be in cruise control when Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk was sent off for bringing down striker Alexander Isak three minutes after Anthony Gordon had fired the home side into a first-half lead.
Burt crucially, they were not able to build upon their advantage, due in large part to the heroics of keeper Alisson, who pulled off a stunning save to dig out Miguel Almiron’s goal-bound volley, and the post, which denied the same man before Nunez’s match-winning cameo.
Asked if he could learn more from a narrow defeat than he would have from a 1-0 victory, Howe said: “It depends how you view it. If we don’t take collective responsibility and don’t analyse the game properly, then no.
“But I think if you do those things and always take ownership of what’s happened – and that includes me along with the players – then I think you can come out of it stronger, and that’s what we’ll endeavour to do.
“I’m proud of the players in many ways for what they’ve delivered today, but we are kicking ourselves for sure that we didn’t get something out of the game.”
Howe, who replaced influential trio Sandro Tonali, Gordon and Isak with Sean Longstaff, Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson, defended his substitutions amid suggestions they had cost his side the game, and headed home keeping his fingers crossed over an ankle injury to key defender Sven Botman which could yet prompt further transfer activity.
He said: “I don’t know how bad it is, but certainly we wish him a speedy recovery. We’ll have to wait and see. I’ll speak to the medical team and see how bad Sven’s injury is.”
Tottenham bring Werner back on loan for 2024-25
Tottenham have agreed another loan deal with RB Leipzig for Timo Werner to remain at the club for 2024-25, with the club holding an option to make the move permanent next year.
Werner joined Spurs on loan in January and immediately assumed an important role in Ange Postecoglou's team, contributing two goals and three assists in 14 appearances in all competitions.
He saw his season ended prematurely by a hamstring injury in May, but Tottenham always appeared keen to keep him at the club for next season.
Postecoglou's side will play in the Europa League in 2024-25 after finishing fifth in the Premier League, and Werner will be an option across the frontline again next season.
Reports suggest Tottenham could have made the move permanent this year for £15million, but the extended loan deal includes a buy clause estimated at £8.5million.
Richarlison: Reports of Tottenham unrest 'fake news'
Richarlison has described reports suggesting he is unhappy at Tottenham as "fake news", insisting he will still be playing in the Premier League next season.
Richarlison enjoyed a vastly improved season in 2023-24, scoring 11 Premier League goals after only netting once in his first campaign with Spurs in 2022-23.
However, injuries prevented the Brazil international from finishing the campaign strongly and reports have suggested Spurs are in the market for a new striker.
They have also agreed to bring Timo Werner back from RB Leipzig on another season-long loan deal with a view to a permanent move.
Some had suggested Richarlison could be a victim of an overhaul as Ange Postecoglou looks to put his stamp on the squad, but the former Everton man says he is going nowhere.
In a post to X, Richarlison wrote: "I gave up my vacation and came to work in Sao Paulo so I could return well and ready for the next season.
"I never said I was dissatisfied at my club, and everything that has been coming out in the media here about negotiations is fake news.
"I don't know where they got that from! I won't leave England next season!"
New York Red Bulls v Charlotte FC: Smith not worried about goalless run
Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith says his team will continue to work on their lack of goal threat as they prepare to travel to New York Red Bulls on Wednesday.
Charlotte sit seventh in the Eastern Conference, just one point behind the Red Bulls after going unbeaten in their last five matches.
However, their last two outings have finished 0-0 against LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union as they managed just six shots on target combined in those games.
Asked how he approaches a situation like that, Smith said: "We talk openly, review all the games and the fact is that we probably haven't worked the goalkeeper enough.
"We've spoke about that and what we feel we can do to improve that. We've had chances, and we probably haven't done as well as we could do with those, so that's something we'll continue to work on
"It's going to be a tough game [against the Red Bulls] because they're a tough team."
The Red Bulls are coming off a 10-day break after their derby defeat to New York City FC on May 19, and sit fifth in the table.
Head coach Sandro Schwarz said: "The performance [against NYCFC] wasn't the best, and we weren't able to create chances to score and to get three points.
"We want more, and we have to improve a lot, but this is normal. We need time, but the mentality, the behaviour, they adapt very quick and very well.
"We were disappointed to lose the derby game, but that happens. Heads up, we have to come back stronger and take the next opportunity."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York Red Bulls – Cameron Harper
Harper scored New York's lone goal in their last match, his third straight match with a goal. He is the first Red Bulls player to score in three straight regular-season matches since Patryk Klimala in 2021, and the last Red Bulls player to score in four straight league games was Bradley Wright-Phillips in July-August 2017.
Charlotte – Kristijan Kahlina
Charlotte have kept clean sheets in five consecutive regular-season matches, the only team to do so in MLS this season. The only team since 2008 to keep a clean sheet in six straight games within a single regular season was New York City FC in May 2022, and Kahlina will be looking to equal that record.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN
The Red Bulls have lost only one of their six all-time meetings with Charlotte in all competitions, a 2-0 road defeat in June 2022. New York have won three of their four home matches against Charlotte (D1), scoring multiple goals in each match, including a 5-2 win in last year's playoffs.
The Red Bulls are unbeaten in eight straight home matches dating back to last season (W5 D3, incl. playoffs). New York have not had a longer home unbeaten run in MLS play since a nine-match run from August 2018 to March 2019.
Meanwhile, Charlotte won 1-0 at Chicago in their last away match after a seven-match winless run on the road in all competitions. Charlotte have never recorded back-to-back away wins in all competitions before.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York Red Bulls – 53%
Draw – 23.9%
Charlotte – 23.1%
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