Isak jeered by Newcastle fans on return ahead of Liverpool's Premier League opener

Alexander Isak walked through the entrance of Liverpool’s Newcastle hotel to a chorus of boos and expletives on Saturday, the eve of the Premier League season opener between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St. James’ Park.

Footage circulating online shows the Swedish striker, earphones in and expression unchanged, striding past a group of incensed Newcastle supporters who could be heard shouting abuse at their former forward. The hostile reception was widely anticipated given the acrimony that surrounded his £125 million deadline-day move to Anfield last September — a British record fee for a centre-forward.

Isak’s departure had been one of the most turbulent transfer sagas of last summer. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe had publicly stated his belief that the 26-year-old would remain at St. James’ Park for the 2025/26 season, but Isak declared his desire to leave, skipped the club’s pre-season tour and instead trained with former club Real Sociedad. He was subsequently excluded from first-team sessions at Darsley Park as the standoff dragged on for more than a month before Liverpool confirmed the deal on September 1.

The reaction from the Toon Army was swift and unforgiving. Social media filled with criticism, and a banner reading ‘Isak is a pure rat’ was unfurled outside Newcastle’s ground in the days that followed.

Isak can expect a similarly charged atmosphere when he steps out at St. James’ Park on Sunday afternoon, where 52,719 supporters will be packed inside the stadium. He is expected to lead Andoni Iraola’s attack, with Hugo Ekitike still sidelined following an Achilles tendon rupture.

His debut season on Merseyside was disrupted by fitness issues stemming from a pre-season missed entirely due to the protracted transfer. A fractured leg suffered in a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in late December kept him out for 106 days, limiting his overall contribution under then-manager Arne Slot.

Sunday’s fixture represents Isak’s first competitive return to the ground where he spent nearly three years and earned widespread adulation before the relationship collapsed so publicly.