Pride, Passion & Heartbreak - But Newcastle Need End To Isak Saga

Stoppage clip heartbreak against Liverpool? Newcastle United person been present before. Many times, successful fact.

Stan Collymore's victor successful 1996 still brings retired Geordies of a definite procreation successful a acold sweat and it was conscionable a mates of years agone that Darwin Nunez snatched each 3 points astatine St James' Park pinch a late, precocious sucker punch.

Not moreover these goals were arsenic tardy arsenic Rio Ngumoha's 100th-minute onslaught connected Monday night, however.

Having fought backmost from 2-0 down pinch 10 men, and mislaid Fabian Schar, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton to injury, Newcastle went location pinch nothing.

Yet nan crowd's guidance astatine full-time said it each arsenic Newcastle fans stood to applaud Eddie Howe's exhausted side.

"Those guys make maine proud," nan caput coach said of his players pursuing nan 3-2 defeat. "Their tone and togetherness has ne'er been successful question. They're perfectly intwined into Newcastle. They want to beryllium here, they want to play. They're connected to nan club. successful a measurement that's very deep."

Those words felt timely.

It was conscionable a fewer months agone that Alexander Isak wrote himself into nine folklore aft scoring against Liverpool successful nan Carabao Cup last to thief extremity nan club's 70-year hold for a home trophy.

Yet it was Liverpool fans who were singing astir Isak this clip astir arsenic nan distant extremity many times urged Newcastle to "hand him over".

Isak was conspicuous by his absence erstwhile again, arsenic nan wantaway Swede continues to train distant from nan remainder of his Newcastle team-mates, and this saga added a caller magnitude to nan game.

It surely did not consciousness for illustration an early play fixture, arsenic a result.

Liverpool players were booed getting disconnected nan squad bus. By nan clip nan visitors made it retired to inspect nan pitch, location were Newcastle fans gathered to jeer them immoderate more. When nan champions' line-up was publication retired by nan stadium announcer, a fewer minutes earlier kick-off, nan cacophony of boos were deafening.

The passion of nan location support was matched by nan strength Newcastle played pinch and Liverpool, tellingly, conceded 7 fouls successful nan opening 20 minutes unsocial arsenic they aggressively tried to support nan hosts back.

Liverpool went connected to return nan lead, courtesy of Ryan Gravenberch's effort, earlier Newcastle guardant Anthony Gordon virtually near his people connected Virgil van Dijk's calf and was sent off.

By nan clip erstwhile Newcastle target Hugo Ekitike, of each people, doubled Liverpool's lead, it looked a agelong measurement backmost for nan hosts.

But nan stadium erupted erstwhile much erstwhile skipper Bruno Guimaraes' header pulled 1 back. It felt for illustration nan tile was going to travel disconnected erstwhile William Osula scored a precocious equaliser.

Just erstwhile it seemed for illustration Newcastle were connected people for a hard-fought point, though, Liverpool snatched each 3 astatine nan death.

Liverpool were surely clinical.

But Newcastle will still rue not pressing location their advantage pinch a afloat complement of players astatine 0-0.

Set-plays were wasted. The hosts were screaming retired for a poacher to get connected nan extremity of teasing crosses that were gratefully claimed by Alisson. On nan 1 juncture a transportation from Harvey Barnes picked retired nan caput of Gordon, nan guardant grounded to deed nan target.

Digging deeper, Newcastle person had 26 shots successful their opening 2 convention games of nan season, but Howe's broadside person managed conscionable six efforts connected target and 2 goals.

Although Osula sewage connected nan scoresheet connected Monday night, nan 22-year-old is still processing and has ne'er started a Premier League crippled for nan club.

However, if Newcastle do not scope a breakthrough successful nan transportation marketplace successful nan coming days, nan Dane could yet statement up against Leeds United connected Saturday aft nan black-and-whites had bids turned down for Wolves prima Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brentford striker Yoane Wissa.

It was surely not mislaid connected Howe that 1 of nan champion strikers successful nan world is still connected Newcastle's books – and really nan hosts could usage nan Isak of old.

"The value of Alex would person made a quality successful nan team," he said. "I don't deliberation there's immoderate denying that. But, that said, nan squad has functioned really well.

"The capacity of nan players and nan squad successful nan 2 games doesn't hap without each portion of nan squad functioning well. You can't transportation anyone successful this section against immoderate opponent. Yes we needed to people successful that first half erstwhile we were connected top. Goals alteration games, but we're conscionable dealing pinch what we have."

Howe admitted he was "not statement to nan talks that were happening" aft suggestions that Jamie Reuben, nan club's owner, had held face-to-face discussions pinch Isak while president Yasir Al-Rumayyan is besides successful town.

But, 1 measurement aliases nan other, a solution to this saga is yet imminent up of nan model closing connected 1 September.

How it is needed.