The real reason Alexander Isak travelled with Newcastle United to Liverpool - but didn't play
Alexander Isak missed Newcastle United’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Liverpool on Wednesday night due to a groin injury.
Isak was feeling his groin when preparing for the game on Tuesday, forcing Eddie Howe to make a late selection call. The 25-year-old has 21 goals in all competitions for Newcastle this season and had also found the net on his previous two visits to Anfield.
Isak travelled with the squad to Liverpool on Wednesday afternoon before a late decision was made not to include him in the matchday squad.
“Yeah [it was a late decision],” Howe told The Gazette. “I had a chat with him around lunchtime to see how he felt.
“We knew he was feeling something yesterday, we hoped that it would improve overnight but it didn't improve enough.
“It was a late decision around midday that he just didn't feel right in his groin. So we didn't want to take the risk, we've got too many big games to come.”
Alexander Isak back for the Carabao Cup final v Liverpool?
Isak’s withdrawal from the squad was partly down to the big games Newcastle have coming up across all three competitions. Next up is Brighton & Hove Albion at St James’ Park before West Ham United in the Premier League on March 10 and then Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on March 16.
It is hoped by resting him at Liverpool, Isak will be back available for the big games coming up.
“Well, we certainly hope so, we don't envisage [the injury] being a big problem for him,” Howe added. “I think we'll analyse this game and it will help us for the final but I'm sure Liverpool will be saying the same thing as well.
“They're a high-quality team, I think they've got good players in all areas and you can see why they're doing so well.”
Tactical change for Newcastle United
Back to Wednesday, Newcastle failed to register a shot on target in the match at Anfield and Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister scored to take Liverpool 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
“It goes without saying how important [Isak] is to us and I think you can see that [on Wednesday],” Howe said. “I thought we missed him.
“But that meant a tactical reshuffle so we changed things around.”
Callum Wilson came into the side for his first Premier League start of the season and Anthony Gordon also played alongside him through the middle with Joe Willock out on the left.
“I think it was difficult to ask Callum to play on his own,” Howe added. “We wanted to try and get him support and help and also to try and be competitive in the game and to try and ask Liverpool some questions.
“So trying to play with two players up there I think certainly didn't harm us defensively and I thought it gave us a twin attack and there were some really dangerous counter-attack moments for us in the game and some really dangerous situations that we didn't make the most of.”