Newcastle United fans make Alexander Isak feelings clear amid Liverpool transfer protest
Newcastle United opened their Premier League season with a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park without Alexander Isak.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe confirmed on Friday that Isak wouldn’t be involved in the season opener and may not feature again for the club amid transfer interest from Liverpool.
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The interest has seen Isak go on strike at Newcastle, removing himself from the first-team squad for the past month.
The narrative dominated the build-up to Newcastle’s season opener which ended up being a frustrating one for Howe’s side as they went into the game without a recognised, established striker in their matchday squad.
Anthony Gordon started up front for The Magpies, who squandered several chances in the match against a Villa side reduced to 10 men for the closing stages following Ezri Konsa’s red card.
While Newcastle’s travelling supporters stuck by the players throughout the game and continued to applaud them following the full-time whistle. Things took a turn in Isak’s direction once the players had started to leave the field.
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Newcastle United fans make their feelings known on Alexander Isak
After chanting Gordon’s name while the makeshift striker did an interview with TNT Sports, the fans then changed their tone with a chant almost certainly directed at their absent No. 14.
“Only one greedy -------,” was chanted loudly by the 3,000 travelling supporters, making their frustrations with their striker clear.
When asked about the chants after the game, Newcastle boss Howe commented: “Yeah, I think it is. we never doubted the supporters would be right behind us. At the end of the game it's always a beautiful moment for me to go over to the supporters.
“I’m not going to have a big opinion on [the chants]. The supporters supported the team which is my big ask, which they have done unbelievably well.
“If they want to say something afterwards, they are free to do that.
“I want a resolution to the [Isak] situation and the door is still well and truly open [for the player to return to the squad].”
Eddie Howe speaks after Aston Villa draw
Howe said on the match: “With the way we played, I think we deserved more. We were excellent in the first half – we just couldn’t score.
“Until the red card, that wasn’t our best period in the game. I can’t fault the players today, I thought they were magnificent.
“It was a hot day. I think we struggled to keep the momentum and intensity we were playing at. The home team’s always going to have a period in the game, but I thought we defended well. We were going strong at the end, trying to win.”