Napoli dodged the Norwegian basement clubs and still got Arsenal and City—that's how you know the draw gods are real. • England's got five teams in the pot and somehow that feels like both too many and not enough. • Sheffield United poaching an Arsenal midfielder is the kind of move that makes you wonder what they offered that actually worked. • Liverpool spending £120m on Barcola while Gakpo sweats is peak FSG—upgrade the headline, ignore the wreckage. • McGinn admitting he was wrong about Tielemans is fine, but the real question is whether United finally bought a midfielder who can actually pass. Napoli dodged the Norwegian basement clubs and still got Arsenal and City—that's how you know the draw gods are real. • England's got five teams in the pot and somehow that feels like both too many and not enough. • Sheffield United poaching an Arsenal midfielder is the kind of move that makes you wonder what they offered that actually worked. • Liverpool spending £120m on Barcola while Gakpo sweats is peak FSG—upgrade the headline, ignore the wreckage. • McGinn admitting he was wrong about Tielemans is fine, but the real question is whether United finally bought a midfielder who can actually pass.

EPL

Liverpool are gambling with full-backs: Just 1 accurate cross vs. Newcastle

By WAF News Desk August 24, 2026 11:15 pm Updated August 27, 2026 1:30 am 1 min read

Full coverage of this story is available from This Is Anfield (Liverpool) — see the link below.

WAF Context

6 sources

Liverpool drew 2-2 with Newcastle at St James' Park, with Dominik Szoboszlai converting a stoppage-time penalty. The match marked Andoni Iraola's first game as Liverpool manager. Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle disputed the penalty award, calling it soft. Analysis suggests Liverpool's full-backs struggled in attacking areas, managing just one accurate cross during the fixture.

What we know

The match ended 2-2 after Szoboszlai's 99th-minute penalty equaliser
Newcastle were twice led before the late penalty, which Jaissle contested
Liverpool full-backs had a difficult afternoon with minimal crossing accuracy

Why it matters

Liverpool's defensive vulnerability in open play and attacking inefficiency from full-backs raised early-season concerns. The reliance on a late penalty to avoid defeat suggests tactical or execution issues that require attention ahead of a demanding campaign.

Read Full Story at This Is Anfield (Liverpool)