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 across three transfer windows over three and a half years, and the visitors were left to rue 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, scoring two goals in two minutes just 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 win 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 created the first equaliser as he danced through a crowd of black-and-white shirts before cutting the ball across to Ekitike, who finished clinically first time at the near post.
Ekitike was not finished yet. He latched onto Milos Kerkez’s pass down the left channel minutes later, drove into the box and fired past Nick Pope into the bottom corner to put Liverpool ahead.
Newcastle, who have not won a league game at Anfield since 1994, looked shell-shocked as the players trudged off at half-time, and matters soon worsened after the break.
Although Alisson had to be alert to parry a powerful effort from Harvey Barnes — who had struck the post when the score was goalless — it was Liverpool who delivered the decisive blows.
Mohamed Salah knocked the ball into Wirtz’s path with a deft lay-off, and the German forward swept a composed finish into the net from inside the box.
A tearful Konate, making his first appearance since returning from compassionate leave following the death of his father, added a fourth after an error from Pope.
Liverpool ended a five-game winless run in the league as Newcastle slipped to 10th in the table.
