Report: Liverpool fans greeted Alexander Isak completely differently to Darwin Nunez on his debut last night
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Liverpool fans got a treat at Anfield on Wednesday night as they witnessed the debut of record signing Alexander Isak.
Supporters had sat through a summer-long will-he-won’t-he saga with Isak, who finally joined from Newcastle United on deadline day.
Having cast himself out at Newcastle, Isak had not played a single minute of football since his final appearance for the Magpies in May.
This lack of game time meant Liverpool have had to be careful with the Swede, and there was a feeling that fans may have to wait to see his first start in red.
However, Arne Slot sprung a slight surprise on Wednesday by naming Isak in the XI to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Slot was pleased with Isak’s 58-minute debut, and it seems that the Anfield crowd were equally delighted with their new No.
9.
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Having alienated Newcastle supporters all summer, Isak has not had much love from the world of football recently.
Nevertheless, Liverpool fans already love him.
They may even love him more for the desperate way in which he forced through the move to Anfield.
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And according to The Athletic, they showed this by supplying a ‘huge cheer’ when Isak’s name was read out in the starting XI before kick-off.
‘A wave of excitement’ is said to have rippled around Anfield, continuing into the match where Isak ‘lifted the crowd’ every time he got the ball.
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There is claimed to have been a ‘noticeable shift’ from the way Liverpool supporters greeted Isak to how they responded to their former No.
9, Darwin Nunez, when he was on the ball.
While fans’ vocal support of Nunez was said to have been mere encouragement, there was reportedly ‘a degree of expectation added to the excitement’ from the stands whenever Isak took possession.
Isak may not have scored on his Liverpool debut – something which will no doubt delight rival fans – but the 25-year-old still managed to impress.
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His link-up play with Florian Wirtz was particularly promising, while there are clear signs that Isak and Hugo Ekitike can easily play together.
The Sweden international will take some time to get fully up to speed, but as first impressions go, this was a very good one.
And it seems Isak himself was delighted to finally get going as well.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday morning, the former Newcastle man gave his own reaction to finally playing for Liverpool.
“Amazing night to make my debut.
Thank you for the warm welcome reds!” Isak wrote.