Signs that Jaissle's Newcastle are not to be written off

What the report says

Newcastle United head coach Matthias Jaissle said he took encouragement from his side’s performance against Liverpool, despite seeing a late penalty deny his team all three points in a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park. BBC Sport reported that Newcastle led 2-1 before Dominik Szoboszlai converted from the spot after a challenge on substitute Victor Munoz, with Jaissle questioning the decision but avoiding detailed criticism in public remarks.

The match came during an emotionally charged occasion at St James’ Park, where supporters and former Newcastle figures paid tribute to club icon Kevin Keegan. The stadium atmosphere, including a pre-match fan display, underlined the sense of occasion as Newcastle tried to show they can compete after a difficult period of change.

BBC Sport noted that Newcastle have lost several major players over the past year and have also changed manager, while a number of their summer signings are young and new to the Premier League. Against that backdrop, Jaissle said he saw signs of a competitive, united team, pointing to the intensity, work rate and resilience on display. New arrivals and returning players contributed, with Anthony Elanga scoring and Yoane Wissa involved in Newcastle’s second goal. The draw does not change the wider challenge of rebuilding, but it offered evidence that the team may not be as vulnerable as some expected.