Alexander Isak will miss Liverpool's clash at St James' Park on Monday night after rejecting a £110million bid from the Reds earlier this month; the forward, who wants to leave the club, is training separately and criticised Newcastle on social media yesterday.
Pictured: Anthony Gordon applauds Newcastle fans as they arrive at Aston Villa's stadium.
Eddie Howe has described his players as “resilient” and “steadfast” as they maintain focus on the Alexander Isak transfer saga, which has intensified with rivals Liverpool visiting St James' Park for Monday Night Football.
During a heated exchange last night, the striker accused Newcastle of failing to deliver on their promises and suggested his connection with the club had been damaged. The Magpies had earlier hit back, denying Isak's claims he had been allowed to leave this summer, insisting they were “unwilling” to sell the player as their demands were unlikely to be met.
Liverpool failed to meet those demands when their £110m bid for Isak was rejected in early August; Isak himself, who had requested a review in July, trained separately from his team-mates as they drew 0-0 with Aston Villa on the opening day.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has expressed hope of seeing Alexander Isak back in his team's shirt, but noted that the situation has not yet been resolved.
Newcastle's next game will draw further attention to Isak's situation, with Howe highlighting the importance of the players remaining productive in his conversation with Sky Sports.
“The players have been excellent so far,” Howe said. “Pre-season has been tough for them and it's easy for the team to lose focus or find excuses for their results.”
- Eddie Howe: Alexander Isak can bring Newcastle fans back
- Key questions about Alexander Isak's future after the latest turn of events
- Transfer Centre Live! | Newcastle News & Transfers ⚫⚪
- Got Sky? Watch Newcastle live on your phone 📱
- Don't have a Sky subscription? Subscribe to Sky Sports or watch contract-free now 📺
“But they are not. They have endurance, resilience, and they are professional. Their behavior has remained the same. We need to play well, train well, and achieve success. Their attention was focused exclusively on this.”
Howe stresses that it is vital for him and the team to shield themselves from the external distractions of debate and controversy in order to get the Premier League season off to a good start.
“You have to be able to deal with a lot of different things that are happening outside,” Howe said. “Noise, emotions… We're going to try to execute our plan as best we can.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
Aston Villa vs Newcastle Premier League Match Review
“I have always tried to distance myself from this and perceive only the necessary information, hopefully it will be a minimum, and this will allow me to control the controlled and keep emotions in check.”
The Admiration of Hau Ekitike and the Danger of Elanga
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
Watch Hugo Ekitiku's first Premier League goal
As well as their pursuit of Isak, Liverpool will remind Newcastle of their transfer failures as Hugo Ekitikey, who had been in the Magpies' plans, opened his Premier League account with a goal against Bournemouth.
The backing club will hope the former target does not show him the wrong decision, but Howe retains respect for the forward's ability.
“I admire the player,” Howe said. “He did really well against Bournemouth, he converted a great opportunity. He’s got a lot of all-round play. I think he’s good in the air, he’s technical, he’s got good movement. I think he’s got a big future in the Premier League. He’s made a great start. We’re going to need to do well against him.”
However, Newcastle have a new attacking asset in Anthony Elangi. The summer signing from Nottingham Forest almost celebrated the triumph at Villa Park, missing out on the opportunity. However, his Newcastle debut has motivated Howe.
“He has those natural qualities that scare any defender,” the head coach noted. “He’s quick, he’s top speed, he’s hard to play against. He has an intelligence and potential in his game that we like. He’s passionate about football, he loves to compete and train. He’s also a true team player. He’s got a lot of qualities that will benefit us.”
It will be interesting to see which of the three forwards will steal the show when the final whistle blows on Monday.
Sourse: skysports.com
