Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer had been hoping Alexander Isak would volunteer to take Liverpool’s decisive spot-kick against his former club.
The Swedish forward made his first appearance back on Tyneside since engineering a switch to Anfield last summer in what became a British transfer record.
At 26 years old, the striker found his initial campaign at Liverpool disrupted by fitness issues, managing only four goals across all competitions in 22 appearances under Arne Slot.
Upon his arrival at the stadium, Isak was met with a hostile welcome from home supporters, who roundly jeered him as he exited the team bus and continued their vociferous disapproval throughout the match, cheering every error and challenge involving him.
When Liverpool secured a late penalty following Lewis Hall’s challenge on Victor Munoz, the home crowd anxiously anticipated whether Isak might seize the opportunity to exact revenge from the spot.
Instead, Dominik Szoboszlai stepped forward and dispatched the ball into the upper reaches of Lukas Hornicek’s goal, leaving the Newcastle goalkeeper with no chance of making a save and securing a draw.
Shearer, alongside Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, had all anticipated Isak would assume penalty duties.
During a discussion on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards commented on the unprecedented level of crowd hostility he had witnessed.
Lineker suggested the reaction would have intensified significantly had Isak possessed the courage to take the kick.
Shearer interjected that he had been urging the forward to collect the ball and step up to take it.
Lineker observed that Liverpool’s decision to allocate the responsibility elsewhere was sound, given the immense psychological burden Isak would have faced.
Shearer expressed his desire to see Isak take the kick, noting that despite the relentless verbal abuse from spectators, the forward should have demonstrated his composure.
Lineker admitted that upon spotting Szoboszlai preparing to strike, he anticipated a successful outcome.
Shearer acknowledged the quality of the resulting penalty, praising it as an excellent finish.
In contrast to the abusive songs emanating from Newcastle’s supporters, the visiting Liverpool contingent offered Isak vocal encouragement, and he took to social media to express his gratitude in a brief message.
The forward posted publicly, noting the season had kicked off, thanking the Reds for their immense support, and indicating his focus on moving forward to the next challenge, accompanied by the hashtag ynwa.