Alexander Isak completed his first 90 minutes as a Liverpool player on Sunday, 51 weeks after his £125m move from Newcastle United. The Sweden international returned to St James' Park and was met with boos, jeers, and chants of "rat, rat, rat" from the home fans who once worshipped him.
The abuse continued on the pitch, with expletives raining down from the Leazes End. Despite the hostile reception, Isak appeared unfazed, wearing wireless headphones as he made his way to the dressing room. "He wasn't bothered by it all," remarked one observer. A wry smile as he left the pitch after the warm-up suggested his relaxed disposition, but his performance betrayed some tension.
Performance and missed chances
Isak recorded an Expected Goals (xG) tally of 1.3, indicating he had clear sights at goal. However, a left-footed swipe over the bar from Cody Gakpo's cut-back lacked conviction, and he was part of a scramble in the six-yard box that he couldn't capitalise on. By the 99th minute, when Dominik Szoboszlai converted a stoppage-time penalty to earn a point, Isak remained on the pitch largely due to a lack of forward options available to manager Andoni Iraola.
Virgil van Dijk defended his teammate after the game, saying: "In my opinion, he had a fantastic World Cup. He had a very good pre-season. He is fit and looks very sharp in training and I have full confidence that he will be very important for us." Van Dijk added: "No. I [wouldn't be] affected by [the abuse] if I was him. I don't think he was affected by it. He tried to play his game. There were good moments and there were moments he could have done better, like all of us. I don't think that impacted him."
Pressure and expectations
Being overly critical of a player who has completed just one full game in Liverpool red in a year feels harsh, but these are the parameters Isak must learn to thrive in if his blockbuster move is to succeed. Given the nature of his transfer, many associated with Newcastle will inevitably hope for failure. Magpies legend Alan Shearer hinted at this when discussing the penalty award, saying: "I was thinking: 'Go on, come and take the penalty! What have you got? Go and grab the ball and take the penalty Isak'. I wanted him to go and take it. I was thinking: 'Come on, you've been absolutely battered. Let's see what you've got. Go and grab the ball and take the penalty'."
The decision to let Szoboszlai take the spot-kick was undoubtedly correct, as the prospect of a shattered Isak skewing a penalty in front of a baying mob could have had a knock-on effect on his confidence. Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke, speaking to Reviant, urged patience: "Liverpool fans have to stick by Alexander Isak. He's still young enough at 26, you're hopeful your bones recover a little bit quicker (following leg break in December 2025). He's going to have to dig deep, and I'm sure it's not for a lack of trying or working to get back to his best."
Questions over mental strength
Yorke added: "We know he has the potential. But with the injury comes a setback that is more of a mental barrier to get over. I don't think his ability is in question at all, he's clearly a talented boy. But has he got the mental strength to rise above it and get back to being the best like he used to be? It remains to be seen."
Those who know Isak describe a reserved character who doesn't speak much around the dressing room. It's a quietly determined personality that has taken him this far, but there are question marks over whether he has the intensity to rail against his fate when things go against him. He has scored just four goals in 12 months at club level.
The task for Iraola is to coax that £125m player out of Isak once more. A first full game in a year should represent a tick in the box, and at least the next full 90 minutes won't be anywhere near the same sort of vitriolic reception.
