Newcastle's New Faces and Old Wounds: Liverpool's Anfield Hex Holds
Newcastle United handed Premier League debuts to three players and welcomed back another from a broken leg, but Liverpool's 19-match unbeaten run against them held firm in a 4-1 defeat at Anfield on 23 August 2026.
The scoreline will sting on Tyneside, but the team sheet told its own story. Eighteen-year-old Sean Steur made his first Premier League appearance. Lukas Hornicek, between the posts, made a flying first-half save to deny Florian Wirtz and later pushed away Alexander Isak's header — the kind of debut that earns a goalkeeper credit even in a heavy defeat. Amar Dedic, a £30m arrival from Benfica, made his first Newcastle appearance days after completing the move (BBC Sport).
Lewis Miley returned after recovering from a broken leg — a welcome sight for supporters who watched the teenager break through last season. Malick Thiaw wore the captain's armband in Dan Burn's absence. Harvey Barnes got the nod to start, selected ahead of Bazoumana Toure.
Anthony Elanga gave Newcastle something to hold onto, picking out the bottom corner for the opener. For a while, an away side blooding newcomers looked like they might trouble a side that has tormented them for years.
They could not hold on. Hugo Ekitike, named player of the match with an 8.83 rating from BBC Sport, scored twice as Liverpool pulled clear (BBC Sport). It was the same scoreline as Newcastle's visit to Anfield in January 2026, and it stretched a run that now reads 14 wins and five draws across 19 Premier League meetings — Liverpool unbeaten against Newcastle since 2015 (Liverpool FC).
Joe Willock, on as a 55th-minute substitute for William Osula, scored to give Newcastle a foothold. Yoane Wissa, operating in the number 10 role — the playmaking position just behind the striker — set up that goal and earned an 8/10 rating from BBC Sport, the highest individual mark on the pitch. Lewis Hall conceded a stoppage-time penalty after a coming-together with Victor Munoz, the kind of late incident that turns a difficult afternoon into a long one.
For Newcastle supporters, the scoreline is painfully familiar but the lineup is not. Three debutants, a returning midfielder, and a new £30m defender mean this was less about the result and more about the starting point. The performance had its moments — Hornicek's saves, Elanga's finish, Wissa's creativity — but Liverpool at Anfield remains the fixture Newcastle cannot solve.
The next few weeks will show whether the new faces can gel quickly enough to turn encouraging signs into points. For now, the wait for a win at Anfield goes on.
