The clock had ticked into the 98th minute. It was so late that it felt like Divock Origi territory, except there is no Origi at Anfield any more. But if there was a vacancy for a new supersub, perhaps Fabio Carvalho is filling it. His first Liverpool goal came as a replacement against Bournemouth on Saturday. His second was far more significant, ending Newcastle’s unbeaten start to the season, getting Liverpool a win when a draw beckoned, suggesting they have regained their capacity for the unlikely.
It was taken beautifully, Carvalho celebrating his twentieth birthday the previous day by swivelling to volley in after a bout of penalty-box pinball. The ball had come via Mohamed Salah’s shoulder but the sweetest touch came from the summer signing and Liverpool, not for the first time in Klopp’s reign, proved experts in escapology. For the eighth time in nine league games they trailed. They conjured a comeback victory against a hugely impressive Newcastle side.
In the process, Carvalho upstaged even Alexander Isak. He made a debut that brought encouragement and excitement in equal measure, as well as a first goal in black-and-white stripes. He offered early evidence of why Newcastle have spent £63m on him. The record signing drilled them into the lead, capping a performance that showed pace, elusiveness and composure in front of goal.
But Roberto Firmino led the fightback. He has had a hugely productive week and, with Liverpool requiring inspiration, Firmino obliged. He had brought up a century of Liverpool goals on Saturday. His 101st was sidefooted in after Salah’s cutback.
Liverpool had lacked such precision until then: the first shot on target, from Harvey Elliott, had come barely a minute earlier and just before the hour mark. Firmino has long specialised in important contributions and, minus Nunez and Diogo Jota, it was imperative he delivered.
Salah, so often the king of Anfield, drew a blank for a second successive game. While he contributed to both goals, it was notable that Virgil van Dijk headed straight for Alisson in the celebrations of the equaliser: the goalkeeper started the move that culminated 100 yards further forward.
Another Brazilian is more renowned for his creativity. After a hat-trick of assists in the 9-0 demolition of Bournemouth, Firmino almost had another with Liverpool’s finest chance of the first half. Firmino supplied a wonderful pass. Luis Diaz raced on to it and rounded Nick Pope but, in his less favoured right foot and with defenders on the line, sliced his shot over the goal.
Diaz was purposeful and persistent and, as Liverpool sought a winner, Pope tipped his ferocious shot away. Fabinho twice blazed shots over. Then Carvalho dragged an effort wide. Klopp did something he rarely does when requiring a goal, substituting Trent Alexander-Arnold as he took off both full-backs. It meant James Milner took the corner that ended up with Carvalho scoring and led to Klopp’s trademark fist-pump celebrations in front of the Kop.
All of which felt less likely when Newcastle, with just five points from a possible 78 on their previous 26 trips to Anfield, glimpsed victory. Their ambition is not confined to the transfer market and they carried a counterattacking threat: Isak in particular.
Their goal stemmed from Alexander-Arnold giving the ball away with a sliced diagonal pass. Miguel Almiron led the Newcastle advance, Sean Longstaff pierced the offside trap and Isak rifled a rising shot past Alisson. It was a nervelessly brilliant finish. A second followed. Isak fooled Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez with dummies, but while the Swede again lifted his shot into the roof of the net, this time he was fractionally offside. It was a turning point.
Newcastle have led against City and Liverpool this month, taken a solitary point but emerged with credit. Their resistance was all the more admirable as it came with arguably their second-string centre-back partnership. Sven Botman and Fabian Schar were rested so Dan Burn and Jamaal Lascelles could be paired. They were defiant. This felt proof of the progress under Eddie Howe.
Yet if the game only lasted as long because of the time-wasting that irritated Klopp and the Kop alike, Liverpool could enjoy the eventual drama.
