Newcastle's strong weapon reaction on Liverpool's attempt to take their best player, started a few hours before the kick -off, in a leafy residential street in Northumberland.
If that meeting between the best buyer of the club and Alexander Isak was intended as Hush Hush in the house of the striker, there was nothing discreet about what was on watch in St James' Park.
'Get in them' was the instruction of the Wor Flags Banner in the East Stand, such as a Bugel call before the indictment. And so Newcastle did that. They came in them, up and around them. The home team would never park the bus against the best team of the land-in place of it, they tried to touch the visitors with a black and white fleet of them.
If Isak has reached one thing this summer because of his actions, it is that the players he wants to be his new teammates wake up with some bloody souvenirs of their journey to Tyneside. Because when riling, those with whom he used to share a dressing room – isak stays in strike – he played his role when Liverpool helped on his way to victory, Anthony Gordon's first half resign.
But although Isak refuses to play, 10-man Newcastle refused to lie down. From 0-2 to 2-2 this was a wonderful comeback whose Toon Army can only hope it will be replicated by Isak's own return to their number. It then stuck Liverpool a victory in the 100th minute.
There was a standing ovation for the home heroes, but they still need Isak. When the red fog of Gordon descended in the first half of injury time, the result was a red card. He scraped his studs along the Virgil van Dijk calf, but the reality was that he had shot his own team in the foot.
That is Gordon, the improvised striker who is currently the only senior player who can use Howe in the hole that is left with Isak. He will now miss three games. And he had done well until that moment, a blonde ball of anger and fire. All of this made way for uselessness when he was fired by referee Simon Hooper.
Liverpool was already 1-0 up and, were it not for Gordon's indiscretion, the half-time analysis could just as well be a repeat of the opening of the opening day of last weekend in Aston Villa-Good, did not score.
A blind man on a galloping horse can see what Newcastle is missing – and if he could step and cause destruction in the six -yard box, he might get a game. Saying that William Osula – who stuck 2-2 in the 88th minute – would still be that man in the meantime.
But there was already a desperate need to convince Isak to return to the team before a ball was kicked, so co-owner Jamie Reuben and director Jacobo Solis, Van Pif, spoke yesterday afternoon in his living room. The nature of two points left in Aston Villa, followed by another week without a new striker, means that the world class they already have, must be told that he is not going anywhere.
The idea that he would not be welcomed by supporters certainly went out here – they will have him back through the front door, and his teammates too.
Yes, it would need a number of careful PR – apologies and the like – but it would be those of a Newcastle belief that soon said 'Thank you' if Isak started to do what he is doing best. Catches Win competitions and goals win games. The frustration is that the guy who scored 62 of them for the club, currently only trains in the early deviation of Zon. They need him back at 3 p.m. in the heat of the fight.
That was the absence of any presence in the center -Forward position after Gordon was sent – at least before the introduction of Osula – there were discussions in the press box and furthermore that Joelinton was sent in advance. It had come when the idea of ​​bringing the midfielder of the Big Cat back to a position in which he had previously played as a kitten, gathered real support. Something is better than nothing is the logic.
Even with 11 men, however, there was a good chance and the chance had the chance, just like Villa. Gordon had a trio headers that came close and the front three, completed by Wingers Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga, were nuisance. But for Liverpool it was an itch that was satisfied with a scratch. Only when Chaos took the lead in the second half that they became sad.
And that is taking care of a Newcastle side that started the season with Spirit and cohesion despite a nightmare summer – they have played well enough to win both opening matches. What they need is a striker. What they need is a goal scorer. What they need is Alexander Isak to exchange his living room for the dressing room.