Newcastle United suffered stoppage time heartbreak at Anfield after losing with the last kick of the game - and the incident sparked a furious row over how much added time was afforded by the officials. United's players and staff were furious that ref Andre Marriner had his watch ticking away with the goal coming in the 98th minute.
Unfortunately, after battling so hard and threatening to win it, Newcastle could not clear their lines. Fabio Carvalho's shot was hammered home in the last throes of the game from Mo Salah's corner and seconds later Marriner blew up.
It was a night that ended it gut wrenching circumstances as Eddie Howe dared to win it.
READ MORE: Callum Wilson relishing playing with Alexander Isak
On a late summer evening amid balmy conditions on Merseyside, club legend Alan Shearer took his place in the main stand to watch £58million man Alexander Isak make his bow.
And he didn't let down United's greatest ever striker with a goal he would have been proud of on the hallowed turf at Anfield.
The big hope is that more goals will follow and on this evidence they will in bucketloads if Newcastle can get the service right for the Sweden star.
But if he learned anything at Anfield it was how cruel the English game can be.
The dramatic finish was a big contrast to the sleepy start to the game as neither side took control of the game in the opening exchanges.
United had an injury scare on 10 minutes when Jamaal Lascelles went down in a heap after a strong challenge.
He underwent treatment before resuming but then suffered a clash of heads with Luis Diaz minutes later.
Isak's first chance in English football came inside the first 10 minutes when he drifted into the final third on the left-hand flank before curling wide of the target at the Anfield Road End.
Ryan Fraser showed his class on 17 minutes when he twisted and turned outside the box after Matt Targett's ball from the left but sent his shot just over.
The Magpies were grateful to Dan Burn on 20 minutes as he poked clear in the six-yard box after Luis Diaz's ball into the box.
Fabinho's elbow on Joe Willock on 28 minutes handed Newcastle a free-kick near the edge of the box but Alisson easily gathered Kieran Trippier's effort.
Liverpool had a great chance through Diaz but after he rounded the keeper he blazed it over the bar.
But debut boy Isak made no mistake six minutes before half-time and it was a goal crafted brilliantly by Sean Longstaff who cashed in on Jordan Henderson's poor clearance.
The Geordie midfielder thought about shooting but then had the presence of mind to slide it to Isak who turned in the box to slam it past Alisson with an angled finish.
Isak then sprinted towards the Newcastle fans to celebrate with his new adoring public.
United went in at half-time 1-0 up and without Nick Pope facing a single shot on target.
Liverpool probed hard at the start of the second half but they were rocked on 55 minutes when Isak latched on to a ball down the left.
He casually dropped his shoulder in the box before firing past Alisson only to be denied by a VAR call for offside.
On the hour mark, Harvey Elliott managed Liverpool's first shot on target of the evening as Pope held on well.
But a minute later a slick move from the home side - which started with Alisson moving the ball out - before Mo Salah cut the ball across for Roberto Firmino to sweep through the legs of Lascelles and beat Pope with 29 minutes left.
Howe made his first changes of the night when he took off Isak and Fraser with Jacob Murphy and Chris Wood coming on.
Liverpool changed it when James Milner, Konstantinos Tsimikas and Fabio Carvalho came on to freshen things up for the home side with 20 minutes to go.
Pope was called into action on 79 minutes after Diaz wound up and had a crack from 18-yards but the Toon stopper pushed it on to the bar.
It was Diaz vs Pope again a minute later when Salah's cross found the ex-Porto star but the former Burnley keeper simply took the sting out of it with one hand.
WIth eight minutes to go teenager Elliot Anderson was introduced on to the big stage as Howe dared to win it.
Anderson came on for Almiron in the closing stages and immediately won a free-kick which sadly came to nothing.
Fabinho blazed a shot over with five minutes to go with Liverpool always a threat.
Lascelles and Trippier picked up yellow cards in the closing stages as Liverpool continued to push.
However, it was agony all round when sub Carvalho slammed home to leave Newcastle players on the floor and Howe with his head in his hands.
The debate over how much added time will rage on but Newcastle were again disappointed not to get something at one of the top sides.
When the dust settles that might be a sign of progress.
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