Sky Sports delete Alexander Isak post after Newcastle United backlash
Newcastle United supporters made their feelings on Alexander Isak clear at Villa Park on Saturday.
Following the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, the Newcastle United supporters launched a thinly-veiled attack aimed at their wantaway striker, chanting: “Only one greedy -------.”
The chants were picked up by the TNT Sports cameras after the game and were later shared by Sky Sports’ social media accounts.
While Sky refrained from mentioning Isak in their post, instead posing a question as to who the Newcastle supporters could be chanting about, it received some backlash from Newcastle supporters.
Sky Sports post removed after NUFC fan backlash
While Sky censored the foul language when showing the video of the chant, several Newcastle supporters took issue with the way the video was edited.
The audio of the Newcastle fans chanting did not match up with the video, which implied the chants were taking place as the Newcastle United players went over to the away supporters after the game.
Anyone in the stadium would know that the chants only started once the Newcastle players had started to leave the field of play.
Newcastle fan @psmithy388 branded Sky Sports an ‘utter disgrace’, stating: “@SkySports utter disgrace. Editing this to make it look like that was being sung in front of the players. Why do that?”
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Newcastle contend creator Adam Pearson also weighed in with his thoughts before posting a video showing what it was like in the stadium when the chant took place.
Pearson wrote: “An impartial sports broadcasting company like Sky Sports should not be editing audio and including it into clips to make Newcastle United fans look bad. We never chanted about Alexander Isak while the players were interacting with us.”
Eddie Howe comments on NUFC fan chants
Responding to the chants after the match, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said: “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].”
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The chants about Isak came after the striker went on strike at Newcastle in a bid to force through a move to Liverpool. The 25-year-old has missed all of Newcastle’s pre-season matches, trained away from the first-team and will now be fined for missing a Premier League ban due to his self-imposed exile.
With little over a fortnight left in the transfer window, it’s unclear whether Isak will be a Newcastle player come September 2. But what is clear is that his relationship with The Magpies’ supporters has been irreparably damaged regardless of whether he pulls on the black and white shirt again or not.