Newcastle and Liverpool draw after late VAR penalty controversy

Newcastle United and Liverpool played to a 2-2 draw at St James' Park on August 23, 2026. Newcastle initially took the lead twice with goals from Elanga and Willock, but Liverpool equalized each time, the latter through a stoppage-time penalty converted by Szoboszlai after a controversial decision involving Hall and Munoz. Former referee Dermot Gallagher analyzed the incidents, supporting the penalty call and noting VAR's lack of intervention. The match featured significant possession and shot statistics favoring Liverpool, who had 61% possession and 27 total shots compared to Newcastle's 13.

• 11:31 AMYahoo Sports — Former top referee rules on controversial Newcastle United v Liverpool incidents