Isak Booed on Tyneside as Szoboszlai Saves Liverpool

Alexander Isak walked back into St James’ Park and straight into a wall of noise. None of it welcoming.

Every touch from the former Newcastle striker drew howls. Boos rained down, “greedy” rang out in an x-rated chant that rolled around the ground, and when Lewis Hall thundered into a tackle that left Isak on the turf, the roar almost matched the celebrations for Newcastle’s goals.

On the pitch, he offered little in return.

The Sweden forward, whose acrimonious £125 million move to Liverpool last year has so far looked like an expensive misstep, endured another grim afternoon. His finishing was wasteful, his movement subdued, and his first return to Tyneside ended without the kind of statement performance he desperately needs.

Andoni Iraola, though, refused to blame the hostility.

Iraola backs under-fire Isak

The new Liverpool head coach, taking charge of his first competitive game since arriving from Bournemouth to replace the sacked Arne Slot, insisted Isak had been ready for the storm.

“I think he expected a bit the atmosphere, it was not a big surprise for him,” Iraola 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.”

The words were supportive. The evidence on the pitch was less kind. On this showing, it remains anyone’s guess when – or if – Liverpool will see sustained returns on that huge fee.

Yet while Isak struggled, Liverpool escaped. Just.

Late drama saves Liverpool from opening-day defeat

Defensive frailties that haunted Liverpool last season resurfaced almost immediately. Newcastle, under new boss Matthias Jaissle, were sharper, quicker and far more convincing for long spells.

Anthony Elanga struck early to put the hosts in front, capitalising on Liverpool’s slackness at the back. The visitors needed the interval, and they used it.

After half-time, Cody Gakpo dragged Liverpool level, briefly swinging the momentum. The away end finally had a voice.

It didn’t last.

Jaissle turned to his bench and was rewarded almost instantly. Joe Willock came on and promptly restored Newcastle’s lead, a punch that looked like it might floor Iraola’s side on his debut in the dugout.

Liverpool pushed, but Newcastle seemed to have ridden out the storm. Then came the twist.

Deep into stoppage time, Hall clattered into Victor Munoz inside the box. It was clumsy rather than malicious, but it gave the referee a decision to make – and Liverpool a lifeline.

Dominik Szoboszlai seized it, lashing the penalty high into the roof of the net. From the brink of defeat, Iraola had a point and a sliver of relief.

“We scored at the end, so probably you have a better taste. But before the game we wouldn't have signed for this result,” he admitted. The sigh was almost audible.

Jaissle fumes at ‘soft’ penalty but sees promise

On the other bench, Jaissle cut a frustrated figure. Appointed after Eddie Howe’s surprise resignation earlier in August, the German coach had come within seconds of opening his Newcastle reign with a statement win – and over a heavyweight opponent missing none of its usual attacking stars.

Instead, he was left wrestling with what might have been.

“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,” Jaissle 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.”

That last point mattered. Newcastle were without key figures Dan Burn and Joelinton, yet still outplayed Liverpool for long stretches, pressing aggressively and moving the ball with purpose.

“This was special, already delivering on a high level and it makes us proud. We've a really good base to build on,” Jaissle added.

Two new eras, one uneasy point each

So Iraola leaves Tyneside with a draw that feels like a stay of execution for a performance riddled with familiar problems. Liverpool’s defending remains loose, their structure fragile, and their record signing still looks lost in red.

Newcastle, meanwhile, walk away with only a point but a clear sense that Jaissle’s ideas can take hold quickly on Tyneside.

Isak slipped down the tunnel to another chorus of jeers. Szoboszlai’s strike drowned them out on the scoreboard, but not in the memory.

For both clubs, this felt less like an answer and more like the opening chapter of a season full of awkward questions.