Soccer
Eddie Howe is hopeful of a quick resolution to Alexander Isak’s future at Newcastle United, so focus can turn to his team’s performances on the pitch.
Isak, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, was absent from the Newcastle squad for their 0-0 draw with 10-man Aston Villa in their Premier League opener on Saturday.
It has been reported that the Magpies have turned down an initial bid of £110m from Arne Slot’s side, who are expected to test Newcastle’s resolve again before the window shuts.
But without him in their ranks at Villa Park, Howe opted to start with a front line of Anthony Elanga, Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon, with the latter playing as the number nine.
And Isak’s presence was missed in the final third, with Elanga squandering a golden opportunity early on while Gordon also gave up some good chances in the game.
Gordon did, however, play a crucial role in a pivotal moment in the contest, running in behind before being hauled down by Ezri Konsa, who was sent off for the challenge.
Newcastle’s 16 shots, only three of which were on target, generated an expected goals (xG) total of 1.47, but they were unable to find a way past Unai Emery’s side.
Indeed, Newcastle have now failed to win any of their last six Premier League games without Isak (D4 L2), failing to score in each of their last four, despite having 75 shots (9.4 xG) across those six matches.
And while Howe was quick to laud his players’ display, he could not shy away from the fact that the transfer saga involving Isak was dominating the headlines.
“It’s a difficult one to answer. I hope it’s resolved quickly, because it’s news around us all the time,” Howe told TNT Sports.
“Players have managed to shut that out and perform. We have to continue to do that. We have to cope without the narrative against us.”
The result also saw Newcastle fail to score in their opening fixture in 13 Premier League seasons, the most such blanks of any side in the competition’s history.
But with their first home match coming against Liverpool next Monday, Howe is expecting a fierce encounter given the wider story surrounding Isak’s ongoing situation.
“It’s always spicy against Liverpool, there’s a history to the fixture,” Howe added. “We look forward to it. We know how good they are.”
Howe also believed his team deserved more in the game against a Villa side who were second-best for large parts of the contest.
The hosts did improve after the break before Konsa’s dismissal, though the Newcastle boss conceded the difficult conditions made it hard for his side to regain their first-half momentum.
“With the way we played, I think we deserved more. We were excellent in the first half – we just couldn’t score,” Howe said.
“Until the red card, that wasn’t our best period in the game. I can’t fault the players today, I thought they were magnificent.
“It was a hot day. I think we struggled to keep the momentum and intensity we were playing at.
“The home team’s always going to have a period in the game, but I thought we defended well. We were going strong at the end, trying to win.”
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