A 2-2 draw at St James' Park against Liverpool will not feel like a celebration for Newcastle United — and yet there were enough signs on Sunday evening to suggest that Matthias Jaissle's side are far from the struggling outfit many predicted they would be this season.

The match was played against an emotionally charged backdrop. Kevin Keegan was honoured before kick-off, with supporters' group Wor Flags unveiling a breathtaking display across every seat in the stadium. Members of Keegan's family, along with former players including Alan Shearer, Rob Lee, and Tino Asprilla, watched from the directors' box.

A banner in the Gallowgate End carried Keegan's own words: "I want people to dream about their football club. Why not?" — a sentiment that felt remarkably well-timed given the questions swirling around the club's direction.

A match full of character

Newcastle led 2-1 heading into stoppage time, with Anthony Elanga opening the scoring with a composed finish into the bottom corner and Yoane Wissa teeing up substitute Joe Willock for the second. Jaissle was animated on the touchline, urging the crowd to push his players over the line.

Instead, substitute Victor Munoz went down inside the box following a challenge from a tired Lewis Hall. Jaissle immediately tore off his blazer, furious at what he called a "soft" decision by referee Stuart Attwell. Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai converted from the spot to level at 2-2 — a familiar sting in this historically dramatic fixture.

"I cannot repeat everything I said because I could get in trouble and may need to pay some fines," Jaissle told reporters, following a long pause. "But overall, I told them I'm really proud of what I saw over the 90 minutes. This is a really top starting point."

New faces and fresh energy

The summer has brought significant upheaval to Tyneside. Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimaraes have all departed in the past 12 months, with manager Eddie Howe also leaving the club. Every signing made this summer has been aged 24 or under and has never previously played in the Premier League.

Jaissle himself has never managed in the English top flight, a point seized on by those who forecast a difficult start. One new face who made an immediate impression was Amar Dedic, who finalised his £30 million move from Benfica only on Tuesday before lining up at the weekend.

Yet it was Wissa who arguably exemplified Jaissle's vision most clearly. The 29-year-old won more duels — 11 — than any other Newcastle player on the pitch, a remarkable return for a forward.

"The manager expects me to be a leader and lead the group," Wissa told Sky Sports. "He wants me to be winning balls, making sure everyone is going forward, going for the kill, and sometimes just be calm."

The familiar problem — and signs of change

Newcastle's stubborn inability to close out matches cost them dearly last season. No other side dropped more points — 27 — from winning positions throughout the 2025-26 campaign. It is a habit Jaissle is acutely aware he must break.

Injured captain Dan Burn summed up the mood, suggesting Newcastle are at their most dangerous when they feel the world is against them. On Sunday, with noise building around Isak's anticipated return and a crowd responding to every challenge, that spirit was visible.

"If you have this synergy between the fans and then the players delivering on the pitch, something special can be created," Jaissle said.

The final word, though, belongs to his assessment of the dropped points: "Today someone threw stones in the way and we need to take that out to be successful again."