Eddie Howe admits his latest defeat to Jurgen Klopp was as “painful” as Newcastle United’s loss at Liverpool last season.
Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score twice late and wipe out Anthony Gordon’s first-half opener in a dramatic 2-1 Premier League victory for the 10-man Reds at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon.
It echoed Newcastle’s defeat at Liverpool almost 12 months previously when they conceded an injury-time goal to lose by the same scoreline having taken the lead.
And Howe – who has now lost 11 successive games against Klopp – said: “Absolutely that is as painful as the game at Anfield last year. I thought we played really well, the opening stages can’t be forgotten by me.
“I thought we were excellent, individual performances were very strong and the sending-off almost harmed us. The second goal changes everything and we didn’t get it. When Nunez comes on they are looking for one moment and they got two.
“It is hard to take, the deflection of Sven Botman’s back and into Nunez’s path (for the equaliser) is not something you can describe but it is a great finish. We should really accept in that moment we won’t win the game but don’t lose it.”
Liverpool played more than an hour with 10 men after skipper Virgil van Dijk was dismissed, and Howe believed the Reds should already have had a sending-off when Trent Alexander-Arnold tangled with Gordon seconds after being booked for kicking the ball away.
Howe said: “At that moment I thought it was a clear second yellow card but the referee didn’t agree.”
Of the game, he added: “Liverpool had a flurry of set plays, they were putting us under pressure and we wanted a bit more control but they are a very dangerous counter-attacking team.
“Think back to the game last season we played very well with 10 (Newcastle lost 2-0 at home in February). When they have players like Salah and Nunez on the pitch they are a huge transition threat.”
