Eddie Howe forced to play 'rested' Newcastle United star as Alexander Isak absence explained - five things

Newcastle United got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Fulham at St James' Park on Saturday - here are five talking points surrounding the match.

Alexander Isak absence explained for Newcastle United

Newcastle's injury situation looked as though it was clearing up with head coach Eddie Howe welcoming Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn back into the fold while Sven Botman returned to the bench on Saturday after almost three months out with a knee injury. But those recent injury boosts were quickly countered with Alexander Isak out for the match due to his ongoing groin issue.

Howe told The Gazette: "Alex isn’t doing too bad. He’s been playing recently but still isn’t 100% with a groin problem. We just felt today was probably the right time to take him out.

"He’s put himself on the pitch for us because Callum’s not been fit, and he’s played a lot of minutes. But he’s not 100% and I want to try to get him 100% if physically possible. But with the further injuries we’ve had, I don’t know if that will be the case."

Injury chaos continues for Eddie Howe's side

Less than quarter-of-an-hour into the match, Newcastle were hit by another injury blow with Fabian Schar pulling up with a glute issue while Joelinton later went down with a hamstring issue. Although neither injury is thought to be too serious - according to Howe at least - both players had to be replaced in the first half with Emil Krafth and Lewis Miley coming on in their place - two players who would end up having a positive impact on the match.

Raul Jimenez sees red for Fulham

Just 22 minutes into the game, Fulham were reduced to 10-men after Raul Jimenez was shown a straight red card following a VAR intervention for a wild clash with Sean Longstaff. The Mexican is known for is luchador mask celebrations and this challenge belonged more in wrestling than it did football as the Fulham forward jumped high into Longstaff with his backside connecting forcefully with the head of the Magpies' midfielder.

Premier League refereeing novice Sam Barrott initially showed Jimenez a yellow card before a VAR check led him to overturn his decision. It was Barrott's first red card handed out in the top flight and Fulham boss Marco Silva was quick to point to the referee's inexperience after the game, highlighting a clash between Jimenez and Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles moments before.

"[Jimenez] lost the momentum to go in but it's not something serious," Silva said. “He jumped into the player but you don’t see something serious, something wrong with the other player. A yellow is right.

"VAR is trying to find all these moments to give. To justify their job? I don’t know. It’s clear he [Jimenez] lost the momentum. He should have done it in a different way. To go for a red card feels really strange. 

“It was a strange afternoon for the referee. I went to speak with him [afterwards] but he almost ran to the dressing room. It’s what we’re facing right now.

"Lack of experience clear to me from the referee this afternoon."

Howe then told The Gazette: "Something didn’t seem right with the challenge, it didn’t look like a nice one, but what I liked from the referee’s perspective is that he’s gone to check it. He’s given a yellow card initially, so he’s changed his opinion from viewing what he’d seen. I just hope that’s his decision [and not VAR]."

Lewis Miley breaks another record for Newcastle United

Newcastle's teenage sensation was initially rested for the match having started each of the previous seven in all competitions. Howe spoke about protecting the player as the reason behind his decision to name Miley on the bench.

In many ways, Newcastle's injury crisis has been the making of Miley - providing the youngster with opportunities he may not have got in the first-team otherwise. And it was the adversity of an injury once again that presented the midfielder with another chance to shine.

Joelinton was forced off 10 minutes before half-time with Miley replacing the Brazilian. In little over a month, Miley has become Newcastle's youngest ever Premier League starter, Premier League assister, European player and the youngest Premier League player to assist a Champions League goal.

And now he is the club's youngest ever Premier League goal scorer after he received the ball following a great run by Bruno Guimaraes and calmly found the bottom left corner. Miley continues to take things in his stride with confidence and a commendable calmness for such a young player shining for his boyhood club.

“The way that on the pitch, he's emotionless – and I mean that as the biggest compliment I can," Howe said. "In a difficult moment, he's not beating himself up, he's not frustrated, he's just very calm and in a positive moment like scoring the goal today, he doesn't let that go to his head and negatively affect his performance.

"He just carries on doing the right thing most of the time, and that's the hallmark of a great player in my eyes."

Alongside Bruno Guimaraes, Miley shone in the midfield once again. In previous matches, he had been the provider, but this time he was the star of the show.

A much-needed win for Newcastle United

After Miley broke the deadlock shortly before the hour mark, Newcastle put the game to bed with further goals from Miguel Almiron and Burn to make it 3-0. Neither player could miss the opportunities presented to them as Almiron tapped the ball into an empty net after Anthony Gordon's pass missed Callum Wilson and fell to the Paraguayan.

And Burn was set-up by a delightful outside-of-the-foot cross from Guimaraes as he bundled the ball over the line to mark his return to the starting line-up with a goal. After the midweek disappointment against AC Milan in the Champions League and three straight defeats heading into Saturday's match, a comfortable 3-0 home win was just what The Magpies needed.

Now they look ahead to the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Chelsea on Tuesday night (8pm kick-off) with United desperate not to exit another cup competition.