Hugo Ekitike turned the game on its head to stun former suitors Newcastle United as champions Liverpool recorded their first Premier League win of 2026.
Newcastle attempted to sign Ekitike in three transfer windows over the course of three and a half years, and how the visitors rued losing out to Liverpool in the race to recruit the lethal striker from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer.
After scoring in the reverse fixture in August, the Frenchman came back to haunt Eddie Howe’s side once again at a buoyant Anfield with two goals in two minutes before half-time.
Anthony Gordon had initially opened the scoring for Newcastle with a fine finish, but Liverpool quickly showed their powers of recovery to go on and win the game comfortably thanks to a devastating double from Ekitike, a well-taken goal from Florian Wirtz and a close-range finish from an emotional Ibrahima Konate.
It was Wirtz who was the architect behind the first as he danced through a crowd of black and white shirts before cutting the ball across to Ekitike to finish clinically first time at the near post.
Ekitike was not finished yet and he latched on to Milos Kerkez’s pass down the left channel a couple of minutes later before driving into the box and firing past Nick Pope into the bottom corner to put his side in front.
Newcastle, who have not won a league game at Anfield since 1994, understandably looked a little shell-shocked as the players trudged off at half-time – but it soon got worse for the visitors after the break.
Although Alisson had to be alert to parry a powerful effort from Harvey Barnes, who had struck a post when the score was goalless in the first half, it was Liverpool who went on to land the final blows.
Mohamed Salah knocked the ball into Wirtz’s path with a deft lay-off and the German forward swept the ball into the net from inside the box.
A tearful Konate, in his first game since returning from compassionate leave following the death of his father, added a fourth following an error from Pope.
Liverpool ended a five-game winless run in the league as Newcastle slipped to 10th in the table.
Liverpool analysis: Ekitike steps up
This was the first time that Newcastle and Liverpool had met since Alexander Isak completed his protracted £125m move to Anfield.
But it was another striker who stole the headlines in the injured Swede’s absence.
On the eve of this game, Howe hailed Ekitike as a “huge talent” who has “great movement” and “can score with both feet”.
Those words proved rather prescient. Newcastle’s loss has been very much Liverpool’s gain.
With Newcastle on top, and Gordon going close to doubling the visitors’ lead, Ekitike not only dragged his side level but he put them in front.
It is what the great Liverpool strikers do – step up when their side need them most – and the hosts did not look back from that point.
Remarkably, since Ekitike made his debut for Liverpool in August, only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has been involved in more goals for a Premier League side in all competitions – 31 to Ekitike’s 19.
No wonder Ekitike was handed a standing ovation when he came off in the second half.
Following a comfortable 6-0 Champions League victory against Qarabag in midweek, this was an emphatic return to winning ways for Arne Slot’s side in the Premier League.
