Super Swede Alexander Isak is the undoubted goal king of Newcastle United, number one marksman and go-to guy as a potential match winner. His 25 goals last season was a throwback to the daddy of them all Alan Shearer, and he will face West Ham tonight looking to make it five goals in his last five league and cup matches.
However, as Alexander The Great takes on the air of unchallenged top marksman, it should be pointed out that he is still chasing the record of a current team-mate who isn’t even an out-and-out striker.
Joe Willock scored in no less than seven successive Premier League appearances during the 2020-21 season. What a way to introduce himself to an adoring Geordie public! If you want to start notching goals like that again Joe, that is all right by us. Currently more goals are required from midfield.
Everyone knows what I think about Isak of course. My latest ChronicleLive podcast was totally devoted to him and his worth – let us not sell the crown jewels but admire what we have. Isak will fancy himself to keep his scoring run going without a doubt. West Ham are his most favoured opponent along with Spurs, having scored five times against them so far.
At t’other end of the pitch Newcastle have a defensive switch to make after the long wait to resume where they left off. Dan Burn is serving a one match suspension which means a leg up for Lloyd Kelly as his rival Emil Krafth is out of contention injured.
Landmarks lie ahead for two other defenders: Fabian Schar will make his 200th appearance in all competitions while new England right-back Tino Livramento will reach a half-century of league and cup outings.
Let us in doffing the cap pay tribute to Schar’s longevity – he looked dead in the water under Steve Bruce – and Livramento’s undiluted promise. They are both fully paid up members of football’s Culture Club rather than the old fashioned hoof-the-ball-high-up-the-field type of defending.
As we await the arrival of new England boss Thomas Tuchel we know what lies ahead. Trent Alexander-Arnold and an admittedly aging Kyle Walker bar the way for Livramento who will eventually get there of course whereas Lewis Hall’s main challenge is a a lot less, the physically unreliable Luke Shaw.
I have no doubt Tino will become a regular in time. Kieran Trippier was originally a formidable barrier at club level and that mountain was climbed.
If United and their fans in an up-and-down season need reassurance that anything can happen then it has come with the final implosion of champions Manchester City, so often believed to be unbeatable. Smashed 4-0 at home by Spurs, they have now lost five games on the bounce. Incredible isn’t it? A Pep talk like no other is required. In the meantime all those regularly in City’s slipstream like us can dream that their days of domination are over.
By the way if you happen to be having a drink in town straight after work before the match drop into the Fleet Street pub just off the Bigg Market and say hello. I will be in from around 5.30pm with John Anderson to talk all things NUFC.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/alexander-isak-throwback-newcastle-united-30441541
