Alexander Isak Faces Hostile Reception at St James’ Park
Alexander Isak walked back into St James’ Park and straight into a wall of noise.
Every touch, every miscontrol, every wayward effort from the Liverpool striker was swallowed up by boos. The chant that followed him around the pitch was unprintable and unrelenting, branding him “greedy” on his first return to Tyneside since that bitter £125 million move to Anfield.
Newcastle fans had waited a year for this. They did not waste a second.
Isak never found a way to silence them. His finishing deserted him, his movement rarely threatened, and one thunderous challenge from Lewis Hall that left him rolling on the turf was greeted like a third Newcastle goal. On this evidence, the Swede’s price tag still hangs heavy.
And yet Liverpool escaped with a 2-2 draw in Andoni Iraola’s first Premier League game in charge.
Iraola backs Isak amid hostile return
If the atmosphere rattled the home support into life, Iraola insisted it did not rattle his centre-forward.
“I think he expected a bit the atmosphere, it was not a big surprise for him,” the new Liverpool manager said. “He has tried everything, given us good positions on the ball, has had a couple of situations to finish in the box but not the clearest but I value that he has continued pushing, fighting.”
That was the theme of Isak’s afternoon: plenty of running, little end product. For a player whose first season at Anfield was ruined by injuries and poor form, this was not the reboot Liverpool had hoped for.
Same Liverpool frailties, new man in the dugout
The Basque coach, hired from Bournemouth to replace the sacked Arne Slot, watched his new team leak chances in all the familiar ways. The defensive faults that undermined Liverpool last season resurfaced almost on cue.
Anthony Elanga struck first, punishing slack defending to put Newcastle ahead early. Liverpool, ragged at the back, clung on until the interval and finally stirred after it. Cody Gakpo dragged them level soon after the restart, a rare moment of incision in the final third.
The parity did not last.
Joe Willock, thrown on from the bench, made an instant impact, restoring Newcastle’s lead almost as soon as he stepped onto the pitch. St James’ Park roared again. Iraola’s debut looked set to end in defeat.
Liverpool pressed, but the clock bled into stoppage time. Isak toiled, chances came and went. The home crowd savoured every misstep.
Then came the twist.
Late drama and a “soft” call
Deep into added time, Hall lunged in on Victor Munoz inside the box. It was clumsy, not malicious, but it was enough. The referee pointed to the spot. St James’ Park exploded in disbelief.
Dominik Szoboszlai didn’t blink. He thrashed the penalty high into the roof of the net, snatching a point for Liverpool with almost the last kick.
“We scored at the end, so probably you have a better taste,” Iraola admitted. “But before the game we wouldn't have signed for this result.”
On the opposite bench, Matthias Jaissle could barely hide his frustration. The new Newcastle boss, appointed after Eddie Howe’s surprise resignation earlier in August, saw a statement win ripped away.
“It was indeed a game of mixed feelings, especially in the end when you get a decision, two points away, it is really hard to digest,” he said.
“For me it is a really soft penalty as you call it here, if you give these penalties then you need to give a lot in the season.
“But there is also a lot of confidence and we are really proud of what we saw, the young lads were doing an amazing job with all the challenges of a transition period.”
Newcastle’s promise, Liverpool’s questions
Jaissle had reason to be encouraged. Without injured pillars Dan Burn and Joelinton, Newcastle still outplayed Liverpool for long stretches, pressing with intensity and carrying a threat on the break.
“This was special, already delivering on a high level and it makes us proud. We've a really good base to build on,” he said.
For Newcastle, the performance hinted at a side ready to move on from the Howe era without losing its edge.
For Liverpool, the point felt like a rescue act that papered over old cracks. The defence still wobbles. The new manager still searches for control. Their record signing up front is still searching for himself.
The boos for Isak eventually faded into the Tyneside evening. The questions about when he will finally look like a £125 million striker will not fade so easily.
