It was a night of raw emotion, shattered records, and a desperately needed turnaround under the Anfield lights. Breaking out of a five-game slump, Liverpool rallied from an early deficit to thrash Newcastle 4-1 on Saturday night, inching just one point shy of the Premier League’s top four.
Things looked bleak early on when former Everton winger Anthony Gordon found the back of the net, leaving the hosts searching for answers. Arne Slot’s squad had essentially forgotten how to play from behind. Before this weekend, they hadn’t won a league match after conceding first since a 5-1 blowout against Tottenham Hotspur last April, dropping eight and drawing three in a miserable 11-game stretch.
A Rapid Turnaround
The sluggish start didn’t last long. In a dizzying two-minute span just before halftime, Hugo Ekitike flipped the script with back-to-back goals, instantly breathing life into the home crowd. Coming out of the locker room, Florian Wirtz stretched the lead with a crucial third strike.
That goal didn’t just pad the scoreboard; it etched Mohamed Salah into the history books. By setting up Wirtz’s finish, the Egyptian forward became the first player ever to log 10 goals and 10 assists against a single Premier League opponent. Even more impressively, Salah claimed the outright record for the most direct goal involvements at a single top-flight stadium. Sitting at 152 at Anfield, he finally leapfrogged legends Thierry Henry, who had 151 at Highbury, and Wayne Rooney, who posted 151 at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, the misery compounded for 10th-place Newcastle. The Magpies haven’t won an away league fixture against Liverpool in 30 tries, marking their longest road drought against any single club in franchise history.
Playing Through Heartbreak
The night’s most poignant moment came late in the match when Ibrahima Konate tapped in the fourth goal. Overwhelmed, the French center-back broke down in tears on the pitch, remembering his father who passed away earlier this month.
“I don’t have words to describe what I feel right now,” Konate told TNT Sports after the final whistle. “It was a very difficult moment for me and my family the last two weeks. But this is part of life. It is hard to accept that, and we don’t have the choice.”
Despite dealing with profound personal tragedy, Konate felt compelled to suit up. He noted that while the manager urged him to take all the time he needed and not rush his return, the team’s mounting injury woes drove his decision to play. Proud to help his squad secure the win, he praised the crowd’s energy, adding, “The atmosphere was incredible today, and this is what we need until the end of the season.”
A Decade of European Memories
That signature Anfield atmosphere is something football fans across the globe know all too well, and its legendary aura is actually making headlines in Germany this week. Today, February 25th, marks exactly ten years since FC Augsburg played arguably the biggest match in their club’s history: a gritty Europa League second-leg clash against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Following a scoreless draw back in Germany, thousands of devoted Augsburg supporters crossed the channel, flooding the Beatles’ hometown for a taste of Anfield’s magic. Even though their squad ultimately fell short in a tight 1-0 defeat, the memories of that away trip remain deeply ingrained in the club’s identity. Local papers are currently flooded with reader submissions, proving that unforgettable nights at Anfield tend to stick with you for a lifetime.
