How the national media reacted to Liverpool’s 4-1 victory over Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday evening
11:06, 01 Feb 2026Updated 22:50, 01 Feb 2026
Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool celebrates with Florian Wirtz after scoring his side’s second goal during the Premier League match against Newcastle United at Anfield on January 31 2026(Image: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
Another step in the right direction. Liverpool earned their first Premier League win of the calendar year when they came from behind to thump Newcastle United 4-1 at Anfield on Saturday evening.
After Anthony Gordon had opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half, a quickfire brace from Hugo Ekitike just before half-time put the Reds in control before Florian Wirtz and Ibrahima Konate notched in the second half.
It made for an ultimately enjoyable night. And while the ECHO was in attendance and provided our usual level of coverage, here’s how the national media viewed a positive result for Arne Slot’s side.
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Paul Joyce, formerly of this parish, wrote in The Times about how Liverpool could finally enjoy themselves thanks to their two-goal hero.
“Liverpool had always been Ekitike’s first choice despite Newcastle’s efforts to lure him from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69million. It will be little consolation to Howe that he clearly knows a player,” he says.
“This was the first time since the opening day of season that Liverpool scored more than three goals in a league game at home and, once they got to grips with opponents who were shorn of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, some of their attacking play was a delight.
“A cry of ‘Champions, Champions, Champions’ echoed at the close. The Kop will not be able to sing that too much longer, but it served to show this was an overdue good night.”
The Guardian’s Andy Hunter, another ex-ECHO scribe, pointed to Liverpool finally showing a bit of consistency.
“Pain came in various forms for Newcastle,” he types. “Superior for 40 minutes and deservedly ahead through Anthony Gordon, the visitors trailed at the interval thanks to a quick-fire brace from the player they tried to sign from Eintracht Frankfurt. Liverpool swept in for Ekitike instead and their initial £69m outlay, rising to £79m, is proving money very well spent.
“Here was the consistency that Arne Slot has been searching for. After the 6-0 rout of Qarabag in midweek, another impressive and heavy win showed his appeal for improvement in both boxes is getting through to his players.
“This was the first time Liverpool had come from behind to win in the Premier League at Anfield since the day they won the title against Tottenham last season.”
Craig Hope of the Daily Mail believes Slot needs to be cut some slack as Liverpool look for a strong end to the season.
“For Arne Slot, this win was his side’s first from a losing position this season and was capped by Florian Wirtz’s sixth goal in 10 matches in the second half,” he opines. “Isak may be stuck in the stands, but his fellow summer arrivals are the key to unlocking Liverpool’s campaign.
“Slot and Howe have shared common ground of late – inconsistency of results apart – and that is a vocal minority of supporters, armed with a keyboard if not a compelling argument, who want change in the dugout.
“In Slot’s case, that view lacks appreciation for the triumph of last season and empathy for the trauma of the summer and the death of Diogo Jota. He deserves time – this season, at least – to process both emotions and new personnel.”
Finally, Richard Jolly in The Independent has highlighted more evidence of another growing relationship in the Liverpool team.
“With a predictability that was nevertheless devastating, Ekitike condemned his former suitors to defeat,” he writes. “In a fixture that tends to deliver drama, he was the leading man. A two-minute brace earned Liverpool a first league victory of 2026.
“Even in the continued absence of Isak, condemned to the role of a spectator in an oversized club coat, it became a triumph of Liverpool’s recruitment. Milos Kerkez supplied the pass for Ekitike’s second. Florian Wirtz ended with an assist and a goal. His partnership with the striker is increasingly mouth-watering and the duo orchestrated a turnaround.
“It means that Liverpool return to the top five. For all the vitriol directed online at Arne Slot, Liverpool have only lost once in their last 16 matches. They also addressed one criticism. They had only taken two points from losing positions in the Premier League all season. Three came in a night; in the space of a couple of minutes, really.”