As Newcastle United fans you will well remember supporters of both Arsenal and Liverpool taunting us.
Arsenal fans throughout much of last season seeing it as a formality that Alexander Isak would be joining them, inevitable he would leave Newcastle United because the lure of the Gunners would make it impossible for him to resist.
Many Arsenal supporters even claiming Isak was a lifelong fan. It is funny what football fans convince themselves is true when they want to believe it.
Pundits and especially ex-Arsenal players seeing the Sweden international as the signing that would all but guarantee the Gunners making the leap from contenders to champions. Mikel Arteta having won no trophies at all since the FA Cup only months after getting the job.
At some point the hopes of the Arsenal fans began to fade, other strikers talked about as targets. Then at some point it became Liverpool fans and their ex-players lining up to taunt Newcastle United fans.
Liverpool making an offer that was turned down by Newcastle United, Alexander Isak going on strike, Gyokeres signed for Arsenal, whilst Newcastle fans endured one of the longest possible summers imaginable.
Whilst it was claimed Alexander Isak signing for Arsenal could/would make them champions, when it came to Liverpool hoping to sign him, the entire media it seemed were telling Newcastle United fans that WHEN Isak left then the Premier League might as well hand the scousers the trophy before even a ball had been kicked. It was that much of a certainty Liverpool would win the title again, if/when signing the then Newcastle United striker.
On Tuesday night my Schadenfreude cup was close to overflowing.
(Schadenfreude is getting pleasure from the troubles, failures, pain, suffering, or humiliation of another.)
I watched on TV as Alexander Isak made his long-awaited return to the Liverpool starting eleven against PSG. I say he returned but I’m not sure I even saw him touch the ball…
As a Newcastle United fan, I am not ashamed to say that the rest of this season is now largely based on hoping for the misery of others.
PSG totally outclassed Liverpool yet again, just as they did in both matches last season against the scousers. They still didn’t hand them the hiding the performances deserved, Liverpool ‘only’ losing 4-0 on aggregate but it will do.
One thing for sure, rather than the Premier League handing Liverpool the title, Alexander Isak and his new teammates (and fans…) are now guaranteed to win absolutely nothing this season.
All it needs now is for them to drop out of the Champions League qualifying places and it will be job done with them.
As for Arsenal fans, Mikel Arteta winning the quadruple is now no longer a thing.
Indeed, the fickle Arsenal fans seem more willing to sack him than cheer him, despite leading the Premier League and looking to have one foot in the Champion League last four.
Humiliated by Man City in the League Cup final and then by second tier Southampton in the FA Cup, Arsenal are also seeing their Premier League title slipping from their grasp.
Man City now looking favourites and when Arsenal lose at the Etihad on Sunday, the writing will be on the wall.
All I need now is for Sporting Lisbon to get a shock win at the Emirates tonight and my Schadenfreude cup will be overflowing. Arsenal fans set to join Liverpool fans in seeing their teams win absolutely nothing this season.
Manchester City look on course to do a domestic treble this season but who cares, everybody knows they have relentlessly broken the rules so it counts for nothing when they win anything, the Premier League and other football authorities an absolute disgrace in how they have failed to make them accountable.
So fellow Newcastle United fans, enjoy the rest of the season, plenty of joy still to be found elsewhere!