Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak is expected to be fine for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool in a couple of weeks with the problem that saw him miss out at Anfield midweek understood only to be minor.
Without Isak, Newcastle didn't manage a single shot on Alisson Becker's goal at Anfield on Wednesday with Liverpool winning 2-0 to move 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Callum Wilson played in Isak's absence and he could start again this weekend as Newcastle faces Brighton in the FA Cup.
"It was after the [Nottingham Forest] game," Howe explained during a press conference today. "The day after the game, he felt absolutely fine, no problems.
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"Then it was the second day [Tuesday], which can sometimes happen in the players' bodies, where he just felt a bit stiff. So he woke up and just didn't feel 100 per cent right. From there, it was pretty clear on the matchday [at Liverpool] that he wouldn't play."
Without Isak in the team, Newcastle has not scored a Premier League goal from open play so far this season. That perhaps explains the no-risk policy being applied to him ahead of the trip to Wembley in a couple of weeks' time.
The last Magpies star to score from open play without Isak in the side was Matt Ritchie in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last February. Isak has scored 21 goals in 30 appearances so far this season but Howe is hopeful his Newcastle side won’t have to deal with being without its talisman for long.
"Hopefully we don't have that dilemma [of being without Isak]," Howe said. "But if we do, I'm sure we have the players that are capable of fixing that problem. Now, whether that's me looking at something tactically or however we do it, we still have some very, very good players within the squad."
"A final is always different but we are wary of the threat they possess," Virgil van Dijk told reporters at Anfield this midweek. "Isak is maybe the most in-form striker in the world. When he is back, that will give them a boost. But a final is a final. Everyone wants to play their best game. When the time is there, we will prepare in the best way possible. But we know it will be difficult."
Liverpool.com says: Isak is a huge player for Newcastle. Against Liverpool midweek, Sven Botman and Joelinton were also missing. They should all be back for the Carabao Cup final and that will make it a very different game in the capital.
