Arne Slot produced Liverpool masterclass as surprise 15-year record broken vs Newcastle
Arne Slot guided Liverpool to an eventful 3-2 win against Newcastle as Liverpool made it two wins from two in the Premier League.
The game was one of many memorable wins under the Dutchman and ensured that Liverpool matched their own incredible record for the longest run of scoring in consecutive top-flight games.
Slot guided Liverpool to their 20th league title last season, which tied them with Manchester United for the most English top-flight titles.
The latest record set against the Geordies will irritate Premier League opposition, but shows that the Reds can adapt the way they play to win.
Liverpool break 15 year record for time the ball was in play vs Newcastle
Things didn’t go to plan as Liverpool’s 3-2 win against Newcastle saw a 2-0 lead slip away late on, but as usual, they found a way to win.
The ten minutes of injury time added on at the end were ultimately beneficial, as Rio Ngumoha slammed the ball home in the dying minutes of the game to ensure Slot’s side came home with the three points.
Added time was only awarded as a result of Liverpool’s tactical pauses in play while they looked to calm the game down and retain their two-goal lead.
| Newcastle | Team | Liverpool |
| 0.93 | Expected goals | 0.7 |
| 10 | Shots | 5 |
| 258 | Passes | 446 |
Opta has now revealed on X that the ball was in play for just 40.8% of the game between Newcastle and Liverpool.
40.8% – The ball was in play for just 40.8% of tonight's game between Newcastle and Liverpool, the lowest percentage in a Premier League match since February 2010 (40% in Stoke 3-0 Blackburn). Stoppages. pic.twitter.com/LkxBz4bleu
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 25, 2025
That’s the lowest percentage in a Premier League match since February 2010 (40% in Stoke 3-0 Blackburn).
The stat, which will annoy opposition supporters and teams, shows that the Reds can adapt the way they play in order to win.
It wasn’t the prettiest from Slot, but it is a mark of champions to adapt the way you play and win even when you don’t play the best.
Arne Slot says Liverpool ‘stood strong’ vs Newcastle
Slot was full of praise for the way his side defended and competed physically in the win over Newcastle.
Speaking after the game on Sky Sports, he said: “I’m not too sure if I saw a football match today, it didn’t have a lot to do with tactics, but I liked a lot how we stood strong.
“They going down to ten men, you would expect that is a big plus for us, but when a goalkeeper takes every free kick, there’s not so much help if you are one player up, that’s why it was so difficult for us.”
Liverpool’s opening two games haven’t been the most convincing, but they have managed to find a way to win and compete physically.
They will however need to stop shipping goals should they have a chance of retaining their Premier League title.
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