"Iraola" speaks frankly about "Isak" after Liverpool fought back to draw with Newcastle in his first match against his former team.
On 24 August 2026, Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's new manager, spoke about Alexander Isak, the Swedish international striker who returned to face Newcastle United, his former club, for the first time in the Premier League opening match of the 2026-27 season last night.
This was Alexander Isak's first return to St James' Park since moving from Newcastle to Liverpool for a club-record fee of £125 million last season, amid dissatisfaction among the "Magpies" fans because he pushed the club to force a transfer.
Unsurprisingly, Alexander Isak was booed by Newcastle fans every time he touched the ball in this match. The Liverpool striker played the full 90 minutes but failed to score or contribute to the two goals Liverpool scored, with the game ending in a 2-2 draw in the 90+9 minute. His match statistics were as follows:
Played 90 minutes
4 shots
2 on target
1 blocked shot
2 missed clear chances
0 goals
5 successful dribbles
3 aerial duels won
13 passes (77% accuracy)
Although he did not make a big impact, Andoni Iraola still believes Alexander Isak fulfilled his role for Liverpool in the draw against his former team Newcastle, saying, "I think he could anticipate the atmosphere here, so it was not surprising for him."
"He tried his best and helped the team maintain good possession. Although he had some chances to finish inside the box, they might not have been as clear or as beautiful as he or we would have liked."
"But I see it as a positive that he never stopped trying and fighting throughout the game, and I think this was a good step for Alex in his first match."
