Alexander Isak's feisty response to Man Utd boss sends clear message to Liverpool dressing room

For better or for worse, Alexander Isak has shown he's not afraid to back his corner - as evidenced by his defiant response to former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag. The Liverpool dressing room know exactly the sort of character they'll be getting if they do smash the British transfer record to sign him this summer.

The Newcastle United striker has drawn plenty of flak in recent weeks amid his push for a blockbuster move to Anfield - but he's proved he can give as good as he gets when challenged. A prime example came after Ten Hag accused Newcastle of time-wasting during the 2023 Carabao Cup final. "We know they delay," the then-Manchester United manager complained. "It's something referees don't want."

Isak was quick to fire back when asked about those comments following Newcastle's 2-0 Premier League win over United a few weeks later. "I don't really agree," he said firmly. "We worked with intensity, and we were the team that wanted to win - the team bringing the game forward."

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He didn't stop there, either. Turning the criticism back on United, Isak added: "They wasted more time than us. I don't put too much focus on that. I think we put in a great performance."

The remarks showcase Isak's feisty nature and willingness to stand his ground - qualities mirrored in his ongoing attempts to engineer a move to Liverpool this summer. The Reds could add the 25-year-old to a star-studded revamped front line featuring Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.

They're weighing up whether to smash the British transfer record for the second time this summer to secure his signature after doing so for Wirtz in a deal totalling £116m. Newcastle, however, are standing firm and demanding £150million - a figure Liverpool would naturally aim to drive down.

That standoff may soon come to a head. Growing pressure could force Newcastle's hand, with reports claiming Isak is ready to down tools and refuse to play for the club even if his transfer demands are not met.

Conversely, Liverpool's urgency may be already be fading thanks to Ekitike's blistering start to life on Merseyside. The Frenchman, signed for £69m from Eintracht Frankfurt, has wasted no time making his mark, scoring in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace before finding the net again in Friday's victory over Bournemouth.

A potential deal for Isak remains up in the air and with Newcastle yet to sign a replacement, there's no guarantee their stance will soften. He skippedthe club's pre-season tour of Asia and even threatened to go on strike.

His absence was felt on Saturday as he was left out of Newcastle's opening-day trip to Aston Villa, with Anthony Gordon deployed as a makeshift No. 9. The match finished goalless, with Newcastle failing to capitalise despite Ezri Konsa's red card in the 66th minute.

Eddie Howe's side dominated possession and registered 16 shots, but only three were on target - a statistic that underlined just how much they missed Isak's cutting edge. As well as calling the wantaway striker "greedy", the travelling support even came up with a new song for their once beloved frontman.

"We don't care about Isak, he don't care about me," they roared as they left the stadium. "All we care about is NUFC." When asked about the chant, Howe refused to condemn it.

"Whatever happens, I think the supporters acted really well today because they supported the team," he said. "Not everything has been plain sailing but they've always been with the team. And then if afterwards they want to say something, I think they're very free to do that."

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