Newcastle vs Liverpool: Isak Returns to St James’ Park
St James’ Park rarely needs an excuse to snarl. On Sunday, it has a perfect one.
Newcastle host Liverpool in a combustible Super Sunday clash as the opening weekend of the new Premier League season rolls on, live on Sky Sports. Two giants under new management. One £130m storyline right at the heart of it.
New eras on the touchline
Both dugouts have changed hands.
Newcastle turned to Matthias Jaissle after parting company with Eddie Howe, a decision that followed a flat 12th-place finish last season and a summer of upheaval. Liverpool, having sacked Arne Slot, now belong to Andoni Iraola, a coach whose high-energy style is about to be tested in one of the league’s most unforgiving arenas.
The squads tell their own tale of transition.
Newcastle have not just lost a manager. They have lost their captain Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon in the same summer. The spine, the craft, the chaos out wide – all gone.
Liverpool’s rebuild is just as stark. Their title defence fizzled out last term, ending 25 points behind champions Arsenal and leaving them fifth. This season they line up without Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate, each of them departing on free transfers. Three pillars of the Jurgen Klopp era gone in one swoop.
The Isak flashpoint
And then there is Alexander Isak.
Twelve months ago, the Swedish striker blew up his relationship with Newcastle, declaring that it "cannot continue" and accusing the club of broken promises and a lack of trust. The fallout was ugly. It ended in a £130m move to Liverpool and a Tyneside summer laced with fury.
Now he walks back into the lion’s den wearing red.
The obvious question is whether he scores. The more intriguing one, as Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones points out, is whether Newcastle simply kick him.
Sky Bet’s “to be fouled” market has become the angle. Isak’s historical fouls-won numbers are relatively modest, which is why the prices look generous: 10/11 for him to be fouled once or more, 4/1 for two or more. Those odds are built on his usual profile, not on the white-hot narrative that will greet every touch.
He will have a target on his back.
Every time he receives the ball, the noise will spike. Every time he turns a defender, someone will feel the urge to leave a mark. One heavy challenge, one clatter from a Newcastle midfielder or defender, and St James’ Park will explode.
There is a simple way for any Newcastle player to light the fuse: put Isak on the turf. Not through anything orchestrated, but through the natural edge of an opening-day scrap, supercharged by an atmosphere that has one man firmly cast as the villain.
Lewis Jones’ call?
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2
JONES KNOWS BEST BET: Alexander Isak to be fouled 1+ times (10/11 with Sky Bet) & 2+ times (4/1 with Sky Bet)
Last season’s scars
Liverpool know this ground well. They came here last season and edged a 3-2 thriller at St James’ Park before dismantling Newcastle 4-1 at Anfield. Those scorelines still sting on Tyneside and set a sharp backdrop for a fixture that rarely stays calm.
When and where to watch
Newcastle vs Liverpool kicks off on Sunday, August 23 at 4.30pm (UK and Ireland time) at St James’ Park.
Sky Sports will carry the game live, with coverage starting from 4pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Subscribers can also watch via the Sky Sports app by heading to the ‘Watch’ section from 4pm and selecting the Sky Sports Premier League channel after signing in with their Sky iD.
For those without a Sky subscription, the match can be streamed with a NOW Day or Month Membership, with access to all 12 Sky Sports channels and every Sky Sports+ stream on a contract-free basis. Live online coverage will also run through a dedicated match blog, and free Premier League highlights will be available shortly after full-time.
Team news: debuts and dilemmas
Jaissle’s first league lineup as Newcastle boss will be weakened by the absence of Joelinton and Tino Livramento, both ruled out of the opener. The flip side is opportunity: Lukas Hornicek, Amar Dedic, Sean Steur, Aladji Bamba and Bazoumana Toure are all in contention to make their Premier League debuts.
Liverpool arrive with their own selection puzzle at centre-back. New signings Ronald Araujo and Jeremy Jaquet are battling to partner Virgil van Dijk after both featured in a recent friendly against Como. Victor Munoz is another who could taste his first league minutes for the Reds.
New managers. New faces. Old grudges.
On opening weekend, with the league just finding its voice, St James’ Park already has a storyline that feels like mid-season chaos. How quickly will we find out whether Liverpool bought a goalscorer, or a lightning rod for a season of hostility?
