Liverpool finally broke their Premier League win drought in 2026, defeating Newcastle United 4-1 at Anfield. The afternoon’s biggest moment came late, with Ibrahima Konaté scoring an emotional goal.
It was his first game back after compassionate leave following his father’s passing earlier this month, marking a truly poignant return for the defender.
The win sees Liverpool climb to fifth in the Premier League table, moving above Manchester United. This result follows a dominant 6-0 Champions League victory against Qarabag midweek. The team is scoring goals again.
Arne Slot, the manager, had asked for improvements “in both boxes,” and his side delivered. Ten goals in two games. Just one conceded. That’s a good return.
Ibrahima Konaté’s Poignant Return to Anfield
Ibrahima Konaté’s presence in the starting lineup was a story in itself. He missed three games after his father’s death in January.
The plan was for him to return later, perhaps even miss this Newcastle fixture. But he called manager Arne Slot earlier in the week. He wanted to help the team, especially with some defensive issues they had.
Slot said Konaté told him he “wanted to come back quicker than planned to help the team.” Slot added, “He had a very difficult two weeks and probably still has a difficult time.” But Konaté trained Wednesday and Thursday.
He was ready. Then he started on Saturday, January 31. His performance earned an 8/10 rating.
And then the goal. Late in the game, a tap-in. The emotion was clear. Konaté was visibly moved, teammates swarmed him.
Hugo Ekitike shared a heartwarming moment on the pitch. The fans were appreciative, as ESPN reported. Slot mentioned the dressing room reception too. “His teammates were just as appreciative when he came into the dressing room after the final whistle,” Slot said.
Liverpool’s Attack Finds Its Edge
The match didn’t start perfectly. Newcastle, despite being fatigued from a midweek Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain, took an early lead. Anthony Gordon got the goal. But Liverpool hit back. And they hit back hard.
Hugo Ekitike was a standout. He scored a quick-fire double. His brace took his league tally to 10 goals this season.
He’s got speed, good one-on-one ability, and his work-rate is better. Florian Wirtz then added a third. That made it 3-1. Then Konaté sealed it with the fourth. This was the first time Liverpool scored more than two goals at Anfield since the opening game against Bournemouth.
It seems like the team found some attacking rhythm. They’ve been criticized for a lack of flair recently. But 10 goals in two games across competitions? That’s good. Player ratings reflected the strong performances too. Ekitike and Wirtz also got 8/10 ratings, matching Konaté.
Breaking the Premier League Slump
Liverpool needed this. Before Newcastle, they were on a run of four consecutive Premier League draws. And a defeat to Bournemouth. That meant they were still looking for their first league win of 2026. So, this 4-1 victory changes that.
Defensive changes were made too. Jeremie Frimpong was injured midweek. That meant Szoboszlai shifted to right-back. Kerkez played left-back. Konaté coming back faster than planned helped a lot.
The team looked more solid. The overall performance was a strong statement. They’re back in the top five. This win could be a turning point for their league campaign. It was an important one, for many reasons.
