Alexander Isak finally got his chance to play against Newcastle United.
Fifteen months after his last appearance at St James’ Park, he was back on Tyneside.
With Hugo Ekitike long-term injured, Andoni Iraola having no other option than to play Alexander Isak as his main striker despite him having scored only three goals in 22 Premier League and Champions League appearances for Liverpool.
Incredible scenes before the game started, as fans of both clubs came together to show their love for Kevin Keegan.
Once the referee blew the whistle to start the match, it was like flicking a switch, as quite rightly all attention was now focussed on the actual game of football. Newcastle United fans roaring their team on AND a huge undercurrent of venom (hate?) aimed at Alexander Isak.
To say he didn’t fancy it would be understatement of the year, I think the Swede clearly would have preferred to be anywhere else than on that St James’ Park pitch.
Alexander Isak was totally anonymous and went missing on a scale reminiscent of summer 2025 when he shamefully refused to play for the team or even join in with training.
Andoni Iraola was keen to play it all down for the most expensive player he has inherited: “I think he expected a little bit the atmosphere, I don’t think it has been a big surprise for him…”
What was a big surprise for all the pundits and Liverpool fans predicting how he would demolish his old team and score for sure, was just how shocking the striker was.
The Liverpool manager on Isak’s performance: “I think he has tried everything, has given us good positions on the ball. He probably has had a couple of situations to finish inside the box but probably not the clearest that he wanted, or we wanted, but I value that. He has continued pushing on in the game, fighting, and I think it’s a good step for Alex for being the first game.”
Andoni Iraola was clearly watching a different game to the rest of us and obviously trying to bluff his was through the comments on Alexander Isak. Iraola had no option but to keep Isak on the pitch despite his woeful performance, Ekitike missing long-term and even Chiesa unavailable on Sunday. Plus of course with Ekitike not going to be available for some time, the Liverpool boss has to prop up his £125m striker’s fragile confidence.
Alexander Isak then got his moment, a chance to shut up the Newcastle United fans and rub their noses in it, prove that it is an open wound that will never be closed, the top quality striker that they couldn’t hold onto.
The only problem was, he bottled it.
Alexander Isak had been the first choice penalty taker at Newcastle United. Almost an unwritten law that if your centre-forward is up for taking penalties then your star striker automatically takes them. Indeed, the last two goals that Alexander Isak scored for Newcastle United were both spot-kicks.
The chance for glory and to rescue a point for Liverpool on Sunday, Alexander Isak instead bottled it. His fragile confidence failing him as he turned down the chance to score from the penalty spot in front of 50,000 Newcastle United fans.
Andoni Iraola desperately trying to deflect from Alexander Isak not being prepared to step up and do what he is very well paid for, refusing to take responsibility with the spot-kick chance: “I think that we have not only Dom and Alexander [to take penalties]. we have more very good [penalty] specialists. Alexis also was on the pitch and he is a very good penalty taker, Cody, we have a lot.”
You have to laugh.
I reckon against any other opposition, at any other stadium, Alexander Isak would have taken that penalty on Sunday.
The BBC Sport site perfectly summed up Sunday, thousands of visitors asked to give ratings out of 10 for all 29 players who got on the St James’ Park pitch. Alexander ‘The bottler’ Isak rated 29th of 29 with an average rating of 3.81, whilst rated top of all 29 was a certain Yoane Wissa, rated on average 7.65. A funny old game.