Munoz saves Iraola in Liverpool draw, big-spending Spurs lose again football

Victor Munoz saved Andoni Iraola from his first defeat as Liverpool manager with the late strike that rescued a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, while Newcastle condemned big-spending Tottenham to a second successive defeat.

Forest were set to win at Anfield for the third consecutive season as Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty twice put the visitors in front.

Alexander Isak briefly brought Liverpool level in the second half before Munoz’s deflected effort rescued a late point for the second time in Iraola’s two matches in charge, Super Sport reports.

“It’s quite clear the first half has been poor, we haven’t controlled the game,” Iraola said.

“We improved a lot in the second half, much more intense, much quicker on the ball but not enough to win the game.”

After a 2-2 draw at Newcastle in his first game as Liverpool boss last weekend, Iraola had hoped for a memorable day to mark his first match in charge at Anfield.

But instead the former Bournemouth boss got a reminder of why he was hired to replace the sacked Arne Slot in the close-season.

Iraola could have Bradley Barcola to unleash by the time Liverpool are next in action at Ipswich on Friday.

The France winger has been one of the Reds’s top targets for months and a £106 million ($144 million) deal with Paris Saint-Germain, which could rise by a further £17 million, is reportedly close to completion.

At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Roberto De Zerbi’s men endured a dispiriting 2-0 defeat.

Anthony Elanga put Newcastle ahead in the 62nd minute before Yoane Wissa killed off lacklustre Tottenham 10 minutes later as their frustrated fans streamed to the exits long before the final whistle.

Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle was able to celebrate his maiden Premier League win after a 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the German’s first game following his surprise appointment as Eddie Howe’s replacement.

It was another chastening result for De Zerbi, whose expensively assembled team suffered an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at Brentford in the opening game of the season last weekend.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.