The reception nobody pretended would be warm

Alexander Isak knew exactly what was coming. His first return to St James' Park since going on strike to force through his British-record move to Anfield last summer was never going to be a quiet night. He was booed stepping off the bus, booed throughout the match, and every time a tackle went in on him, the home crowd cheered like it was a goal. Newcastle supporters made their feelings crystal clear from the first minute to the last.

It was a tough backdrop for a player who struggled through his debut season with Liverpool. Injuries restricted him to just 22 appearances in all competitions for Arne Slot's side, returning only four goals. The scrutiny on him was already significant before a ball was kicked on Tuesday night, and the relentless hostility inside St James' Park only added to it.

What Shearer, Lineker and Richards all wanted to see

On The Rest Is Football, Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Micah Richards were all gripped by the same thought when Liverpool were awarded a late penalty after Lewis Hall brought down Victor Munoz. Shearer put it plainly: "I was thinking 'Come on, you've been absolutely battered. Let's see what you've got. Go and grab the ball and take the penalty.'" Richards said he had never heard booing like it in his life, and Lineker noted the volume would have gone to another level entirely had Isak walked up to the spot.

In the end, it was Dominik Szoboszlai who stepped up, rifling the ball into the top corner past Lukas Hornicek. Lineker admitted he thought it was the right call from Liverpool's perspective, given the pressure Isak would have faced, and even Shearer was forced to concede: "What a penalty it was by the way. Top bins." The Newcastle legend wanted the theatre of Isak taking it. He got the result he didn't want instead.

Isak's response and what it tells us about his mentality

While Newcastle's own supporters made their feelings about his departure abundantly clear, the travelling Liverpool fanbase gave Isak a very different kind of noise throughout the evening. That contrast was not lost on the 26-year-old, who took to social media after the final whistle with a short but pointed message: "Season kicked off. Thank you for the immense support Reds. We go on to the next #ynwa."

It was brief, but it said enough. Isak knows which set of supporters he is playing for now, and the bond being built with the Kop faithful is clearly something he values. Whether he should have grabbed the ball and taken that penalty himself is a question that will linger, but with a full pre-season behind him and a point secured on an incredibly hostile night, this felt like a man quietly drawing a line under everything that came before. The real test of what Isak can offer Liverpool is still to come.