Newcastle United facing dilemma after fresh injury concern & striker ruled out for two months

Alexander Isak was forced off at half-time with Newcastle trailing 1-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday with an eye issue. While The Magpies were able to turn the game around and win 2-1 at Molineux, head coach Eddie Howe confirmed after the match that there were concerns surrounding Isak.

“It was more his eye so I’m not 100% sure what the issue was but we knew he had to come off,” Howe said. “Absolutely hope not [serious], he’s such an important player to us.”

Newcastle will be hoping Isak is fit and available to face Fulham this weekend with Callum Wilson still recovering two months after picking up a back injury during pre-season. The 32-year-old is unlikely to be back available for the trip to Fulham at the weekend having missed all of pre-season and the opening five games of the new campaign so far.

“Callum hasn’t had a setback but he is a little bit behind where we wanted him to be.” Howe said last week. “We envisaged that he might be training at this moment in preparation for the games, he’s not there yet. He’s probably a little bit behind where we wanted him to be.”

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That leaves 21-year-old forward Will Osula, Newcastle’s most recent signing, who arrived from Sheffield United for an initial £10million in August. The Denmark Under-21 international is yet to make his competitive debut for the club.

Howe had an opportunity to hand Osula his debut when Isak was forced off against Wolves but instead made the decision to move Anthony Gordon from the left wing to a central position and bring on Harvey Barnes instead. It was a decision that was ultimately vindicated with Barnes scoring the winning goal.

But it seems Osula is perhaps further down the pecking order than initially expected at Newcastle with Gordon preferred playing out of position to the young forward. Osula’s age means he does not need to be named in Newcastle’s 25-man squad for the 2024-25 season while still being eligible to play.

Sporting director Paul Mitchell described Osula as a ‘strategic investment’ rather than a player primed for first team football straight away while the player himself is currently content to wait for his competitive debut for the club.

“Newcastle is a huge club and I am very happy to have made the switch to Newcastle from Sheffield United,” Osula said. “So I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen in the future.

“I’m getting there now, where there are already huge stars. So I get there and have to learn their style and how they play.

“I just have to come in and learn a lot of things from the coaches and players. I just have to become a better player and then hopefully my time will come when I can play a lot in the future.

“I take it as it comes. I'm just happy to be a part of Newcastle, so my time will come.”

That time could come as soon as this weekend at Craven Cottage should Isak not be able to feature.