Isak Returns To Newcastle, Gets Last-Minute Penalty And Doesn’t Take It

Alexander Isak spent almost a year waiting to return to St James’ Park as a Liverpool player and 99 minutes listening to Newcastle supporters remind him how his departure had been received.

Then Liverpool were awarded a penalty with virtually the final kick of the game.

Dominik Szoboszlai took it.

Isak’s first appearance back at Newcastle since his £125million move to Liverpool had already been an uncomfortable one. He was booed throughout the 2-2 draw and struggled to impose himself against his former club, with Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola admitting afterwards that the striker did not get the clear opportunities he would have wanted.

It was the ending that attracted Simon Jordan and Martin Keown’s attention on talkSPORT.

Liverpool were trailing 2-1 deep into stoppage time when Lewis Hall was penalised for bringing down substitute Victor Muñoz. With Mohamed Salah no longer at the club, there was no immediately obvious penalty taker, and television cameras turned towards Isak as Liverpool prepared for the spot-kick.

The circumstances had done most of the scripting for him.

Isak was back at the club he had pushed to leave, surrounded by supporters who had spent the afternoon booing him, with Liverpool one kick away from denying Newcastle victory.

Szoboszlai stepped forward instead and drove the penalty into the roof of the net to make it 2-2.

There is no suggestion Isak refused to take it. Iraola explained afterwards that Liverpool have several capable penalty takers, naming Szoboszlai, Isak, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo among their options. He was more interested in praising the quality of Szoboszlai’s finish than establishing why anybody else had not taken it.

Jordan’s point was therefore less about Liverpool’s designated penalty order and more about Isak himself. After a difficult performance in the most emotionally charged fixture available to him, the former Crystal Palace owner questioned whether a major striker should want to take ownership of moments like that. Jordan also resisted the wider rush to condemn Isak after one game, arguing that his injury-hit first Liverpool season still mattered when assessing his form.

Isak had endured the boos, survived the return and remained on the pitch long enough for Liverpool to be handed one final opportunity.

Football provided the revenge ending.

Szoboszlai took that as well.