Why Alexander Isak did not take penalty on Newcastle return as Liverpool reveal Mohamed Salah replacement

As expected, Isak received a hostile reception from the Newcastle fans all afternoon, though it appeared he was about to have the chance to silence the boo-boys in second half stoppage time.

After Lewis Hall was adjudged to have brought down Victor Munoz in the area, Liverpool were awarded a penalty and with Mohamed Salah no longer at the club, it wasn’t clear who had been assigned that responsibility.

While the cameras focused on Isak, it was Szoboszlai who stepped up and slammed the ball into the roof of the net to rescue a point for the Reds in their Premier League opener.

Iraola was asked in the post-match press conference about the Hungary international taking the spot-kick and said: “I think we have not only Dom and Alexander [Isak] – we have more very good specialists. Alexis [Mac Allister] also was on the pitch and he's a very good penalty-taker, Cody [Gakpo] – we have a lot.

“But I think Dom showed the level. It's an almost impossible penalty to stop. I was happy obviously because at the end we recovered one point.

“I also think there is a clearer penalty before the Victor [Munoz] one to Victor again, but I think the referee whistles just before, so they cannot give it to you, but I think it was even more clear than the second one.

“I'm happy also for Victor because he has created problems to his opposition and I think these players from the bench that can alter games are going to be important for us.”

Iraola added that he felt Isak’s did well on his return to Tyneside, saying that the striker was not caught out by the reception.

“I think he expected a little bit the atmosphere, I don't think [it] has been a big surprise for him,” the Liverpool boss said. “I think he has tried everything, has given us good positions on the ball.

“[He] probably has had a couple of situations to finish inside the box, but probably not the clearest that he wanted or we wanted, but I value that. He has continued pushing on in the game, fighting, and I think it's a good step for Alex for being the first game.”