Liverpool secured their first Premier League win of 2026 as Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz inspired a dominant 4–1 victory over Newcastle United at Anfield on Saturday.
The Premier League champions had slipped to sixth after five league matches without a win and fell behind when Anthony Gordon put Newcastle ahead, capping a dominant opening spell from the visitors.
However, the mood inside Anfield shifted dramatically just before half-time as Ekitike struck twice in two minutes to turn the game on its head.
Wirtz continued his impressive recent form after the break, while an emotional Ibrahima Konaté sealed the rout late on.
The victory lifts Liverpool to fifth place, which is expected to be enough to secure Champions League qualification next season, given the strong European performances by English clubs.
The French forward, signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69 million, had previously been targeted by Newcastle as a potential replacement for Isak before Liverpool completed the deal.
Ekitike’s quickfire double masked another uneasy first-half display from Arne Slot’s side. Newcastle controlled much of the opening 45 minutes and deservedly took the lead when Gordon scored his first open-play Premier League goal in over a year.
Moments later, Ekitike showcased his pace by latching onto a long pass from Milos Kerkez and firing into the far corner to complete the turnaround.
Newcastle’s winless run at Anfield stretched to 30 league matches, and the defeat dealt another blow to their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Eddie Howe’s side dropped to 10th, six points behind Liverpool.
Konaté then completed the scoring on his return from compassionate leave following the death of his father. The defender was visibly emotional after capitalising on a Pope error to roll the ball into an empty net.
