Isak returns to St James’ Park: Newcastle v Liverpool headlines Premier League opening weekend

Dubai: Out of all the games that are being played across the Premier League opening day, the one that stands out most to the Gulf News team is Newcastle v Liverpool.

With so much turmoil at both clubs over the summer, this is without doubt one of the most intriguing fixtures of the opening weekend.

Fans in the UAE can watch this one on Sunday 23 August with the game kicking off at 7.30pm.

The departures of Bruno Guimaraes and Eddie Howe represent a huge blow for Newcastle, with two of the most important figures in the club’s recent rise now gone, their captain and the manager who helped transform them into a Champions League side and Carabao Cup winners.

After a disappointing season that raised questions over the direction of their forward trajectory, the loss of Guimaraes and Howe is compounded by the departures of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, leaving Newcastle facing a major rebuild.

There is also growing frustration among supporters that the club’s Saudi-backed investment has been unable to fully flourish because of financial regulations and PSR constraints.

Coming in from the Saudi Pro League, Matthias Jaissle is a highly rated young coach who arrives at Newcastle with an impressive track record, having won major honours with both Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Ahli, including back-to-back AFC Champions League titles.

His arrival has been accompanied by a major change in recruitment, with Newcastle investing heavily in younger players such as Amar Dedić, Lukas Hranicek and others as they look to rebuild the squad.

However, there is still a sense of the unknown around this new-look Newcastle. Jaissle has never managed in the Premier League, while several of the summer arrivals are young and largely unproven at the highest level.

It was a heartbreaking summer on Merseyside too, with one of Liverpool’s greatest-ever players, Mohamed Salah, leaving the club after years of goals and unforgettable moments. The Reds will certainly miss his goals, and his departure has left a huge void in the squad.

Liverpool fans may have been less surprised by the news of Arne Slot’s departure, despite him winning the Premier League in his first season, with his second campaign proving far more frustrating as supporters increasingly questioned his style and approach.

Liverpool turned to Andoni Iraola to replace Slot, the Spaniard guided Bournemouth to their highest-ever Premier League finish last season and secured European football for the first time in the club’s history.

But the jump from Bournemouth to Liverpool is a huge one, and there will inevitably be questions over whether Iraola can have the same impact at a club with expectations of challenging for major honours.

Liverpool’s struggles last season also exposed some glaring holes in the squad, making the lack of significant summer investment surprising. Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz are promising additions, while Ronald Araújo has since arrived on loan, but Liverpool still need more attacking firepower to fill the void left by Salah and, with Curtis Jones also departing, another midfielder would arguably strengthen Iraola’s options.

Who else could we chose here? Alexander Isak is undoubtedly the player to watch when Newcastle face Liverpool, with the Swede returning to the club where he was once a fan favourite.

Isak famously scored against Liverpool in the 2025 Carabao Cup final, helping Newcastle end their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy. But just months later, things turned sour when Liverpool’s interest turned his head.

Newcastle were reluctant to sell their star striker, but Isak pushed for the move, refusing to train or play as the stand-off escalated before eventually completing his £125 million move to Anfield.

That understandably left Newcastle supporters furious, and more than a year on, Isak now returns to St James’ Park for the first time as a Liverpool player.

After an injury-hit first season on Merseyside, he will be desperate to make a flying start to his second campaign, but he can expect a hostile reception from the supporters who once idolised him.