Newcastle vs Liverpool live updates: Isak starts in Premier League return to St James' Park

PL Returns Advertisement live Updated Newcastle vs Liverpool live updates: Premier League latest score after pre-match Kevin Keegan tributes Score: Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool The opening weekend of the Premier League season continues with Liverpool's trip to face Newcastle United. Alexander Isak is back at St James' Park for the first time since leaving Tyneside as both teams head into the campaign with new managers. - How to watch: Sky Sports (UK), USA Network (U.S.) - Streaming (U.S. and Canada): Fubo (Stream Now) - Get involved by joining our matchday discussion or emailing us at live@theathletic.com Advertisement Yeah, Newcastle fans are making their feelings clear to their former striker. “Isak's a ****, ole, ole.” I'll let you use your imagination to fill in that starred word... Quite the contrast to what we witnessed pre-game, with the universal love-in and tribute to Kevin Keegan. These words from Kevin Keegan, featured so beautifully by Wor Flags, the independent Newcastle fans group, are from an interview I did with him in The Times of London before it all fell apart in his second spell at Newcastle. It sums up his attitude to life and football so perfectly. We should all be dreamers at heart. Special scenes inside St James' Park as both sets of fans and players pay tribute to the late Kevin Keegan. The atmosphere is crackling. The hosts will try to feed off that energy from the stands. Liverpool might need to weather a bit of an early storm. KICK-OFF: Underway at St James' Park! 1' Newcastle 0-0 Liverpool Here we go then. Newcastle vs Liverpool, two new managers in Matthias Jaissle vs Andoni Iraola, on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. A brilliantly entertaining encounter, one made poignant by the passing of a legend of both clubs, Kevin Keegan, is hopefully in the offing. Liverpool's Alexander Isak, faced by a chorus of booing from the home fans, knocks it back and we are underway. And now the game to follow. What a stage for it, the cavernous St James' Park. Advertisement With both sets of players out, a minute's applause is underway hailing Kevin Keegan. The TV cameras linger on Newcastle icon Alan Shearer, clapping solemnly in the crowd. Sir Kenny Dalglish too. ‘There's only one Kevin Keegan’, sing fans of all kit colours and persuasions. An absolutely superb and poignant stadium-wide tribute to Kevin Keegan, led by Newcastle fan group Wor Flags ahead of this match. "Heroes" was played before the entire ground chanted, "There's only one Kevin Keegan." Both teams warmed up in special training tops with "Keegan 7" on the back, while the entire Sir John Hall Stand also depicted the same message. In the East Stand, a pulley system was used to show images of Keegan and the moniker, 'King Kev'. In the Gallowgate End, a banner with the following Keegan quote was displayed: "I want people to dream about their football club. We should all be dreamers at heart. Some people are the opposite and say, 'We can't do that', but when I ask them why, they can't give a reason. Well, I say, 'Why not?" The Keegan tributes are underway While there is an important game being played today, first there are tributes to be paid to one of England's greatest footballers. Kevin Keegan, a man adored in both Newcastle and Liverpool, passed away over the summer and this is the first Premier League game those teams are playing since he died. The Newcastle fans have already unfurled a 'King Kev' banner and there is now a full stadium display — which includes the Liverpool fans in the away end. A step into the unknown for both teams Today St James’ Park gets its first competitive glimpse of what David Hopkinson, the club’s CEO, called “Newcastle United 2.0” in a recent interview with The Athletic. They could not go on as they were, with a boom-to-bust bouncing between transfer windows which brought punishment from UEFA, but the loss of so many key personnel makes this a huge step into the unknown. There are high hopes for the young signings they have made this summer, as well as for Matthias Jaissle, but it is asking them an awful lot for them to be ready. The flip side to that is that Liverpool (1.5?) are also in a state of flux. We know it’s going to be emotional before kick-off but we can't know much else. Not yet. Can Liverpool last the distance today? Andoni Iraola has certainly put his stamp on the Liverpool squad in pre-season. One of the big complaints as Arne Slot's reign unravelled was that this was a team lacking identity. It was all too slow and predictable. A feature of the friendly games this summer has been Liverpool moving the ball quicker, playing on the front foot and pressing as a unit. However, they haven't been able to maintain that intensity and have faded in matches. They have still been too easy to play through at times out of possession and that's a concern going into today's game. Advertisement Isak looking to sting his former club Here's a fun stat from our friends at Opta after the news that Alexander Isak starts against his former club. Only 10 players have ever scored in the first game of a Premier League season against a side they previously played for in the competition. One of those was Andy Cole, who scored for Manchester United against Newcastle 26 years ago. There were boos for Alexander Isak around St James' Park as he emerged to warm up with his Liverpool team-mates. All of the Liverpool players are wearing red training tops with “Keegan 7” on the back — Newcastle are doing likewise in their own colours. Will Isak finally arrive at Liverpool? Few people liked the way striker Alexander Isak forced his way out of Newcastle, but it was hard not to love the player he was at St James’ Park. Keyword: was. His £125m deadline-day move to Liverpool last September dominated headlines, but he has struggled with injuries since then. The 26-year-old netted four times in 22 games, but begins this season fully fit, and with Iraola’s football potentially mirroring the Eddie Howe setup that he thrived in, Isak has the tools to shine in a red shirt. Can he do so today? FULL TIME: Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth The Enzo Maresca era is up and running at Manchester City! They left it late but a win's a win and they were full value for the victory in the end. City were punished by Bournemouth for some dismal defending in the first half but found a way to come back late in the second half. Substitute Cherki provided assists for both goals, first a header from Guehi and then a smart finish in added time from Gvardiol. FULL TIME: Brighton 4-0 Aston Villa There is the full-time whistle in Brighton and it could not have come soon enough for Aston Villa. Their afternoon unravelled in the first half and they have a lot of work to do before their next match against Arsenal in the league. As for Brighton, the perfect start and a very impressive afternoon. Advertisement GOAL! Gvardiol surely wins it for Man City! 90+2' Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth What a comeback from Manchester City! Another assist from Rayan Cherki, this time for Josko Gvardiol, whose right-footed finish from the middle of the penalty area was a superb one. He was initially denied by the assistant referee's flag but replays showed he was onside and the goal stands. Huge celebrations around the Etihad Stadium, led by new manager Enzo Maresca, who will be mightily relieved to be starting with three points, unless Bournemouth can find an even later equaliser. Plenty of storylines to untangle ahead of Newcastle vs Liverpool You could find any more storylines for this match if you tried. New head coaches for both sides, a tribute to the late, legendary Kevin Keegan which will unite fans of the two clubs beforehand, a young, new-look Newcastle XI and then the vitriol Alexander Isak is likely to face on his first return to St James' Park. How will that play out across the 90 minutes? I don't have a clue. Newcastle are an unknown quantity and it will be fascinating to see how Matthias Jaissle gets on in his Premier League debut. It'll be entertaining, that's for sure... Tributes planned for late Keegan The club has invited Jean Keegan, Kevin’s wife, and his family to the match — along with a number of his former players including Alan Shearer, Faustino Asprilla, David Ginola, Les Ferdinand, and other squad members from his spells in charge. There will be a minute’s applause from both sets of players before kick-off, while Keegan is going to be on the front cover of the matchday programme. In a private ceremony, delegates from Newcastle and Liverpool are expected to lay wreaths in a memorial garden. This would include Shola Ameobi and Bob Moncur on behalf of the Tyneside club. Alongside the memorial, the club had books of condolences outside for fans to sign, as well as a digital version for the supporters unable to make it to St James’ Park. Some of the memorabilia laid at the memorial will now be given to Keegan’s family, while the club will keep some back for future tributes. The flowers laid outside the stadium were turned into compost and spread across the club’s pitches. Newcastle have asked supporters attending today's match, which kicks off at 4.30pm BST (11.30am ET), to arrive earlier than usual to ensure they can see the many planned tributes. GOAL! Man City level through Guehi 85' Manchester City 1-1 Bournemouth Guehi makes up for missing that open goal at the start of the second half by equalising for Manchester City! A bullet header from the England international, which took a nick off Adrien Truffert on its way into the back of the net after Rayan Cherki's corner. City are level, and deservedly so. Team Stats NEW LIV Game Details