Newcastle boss Howe ´wouldn´t swap Isak for anyone´

Eddie Howe claimed he would not swap Alexander Isak for any other striker after he scored for a fifth straight Premier League game in Newcastle United’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa.

Having scored a hat-trick in Newcastle’s 4-0 win at Ipswich Town on Saturday, Isak converted Jacob Murphy’s cross to put the Magpies 2-0 up after 59 minutes on Boxing Day.

Anthony Gordon and Joelinton were also on target for Newcastle, who had a further three goals disallowed as Villa collapsed following Jhon Duran’s first-half red card.

Isak is just the sixth Newcastle player to score in five or more consecutive Premier League appearances, after Alan Shearer (three times), Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Papiss Cisse and Joe Willock.

He has seven goals in total in those matches, and 24 in the Premier League in 2024. Only Shearer, with 27 in 2002, has ever netted more for Newcastle in a single calendar year.

With the Swede firing as Newcastle finish the year on a high, Howe feels he is irreplaceable for the Magpies.

“I love Alexander Isak, he has unbelievable quality. He’s the right age, has the right athletic profile, I signed him and love him. I wouldn’t swap him for anyone,” he told Amazon Prime.

“Tonight, I will go back and watch the game again and see where we can improve. We go to Manchester United on Monday with real quality and confidence.”

Newcastle got off to a flying start at St James’ as Gordon curled a wonderful finish home within 80 seconds of kick-off, the earliest goal in a Boxing Day fixture in the Premier League since 2014, when both Adam Johnson (30 seconds for Sunderland) and Harry Kane (57 seconds for Tottenham) scored within a minute.

“It’s a brilliant goal from Anthony,” Howe said. “He’s capable of that and it was great to see that go in as he has been working hard on his finishing and wants more goals.

“Yes, it was 11 versus 10 but the game was never done at 1-0 and we showed good characteristics, we were adapting with the ball and managed the situation very well.

“I’m delighted with the win. We were never comfortable until the second goal and I have to complement the players and how well they are playing, it is a good set of results and performances.

“We looked like we could score at any moment, the attacking players have their confidence back which is great to see and we look in a great place.”

Howe did feel, however, that Newcastle were fortunate to see Duran sent off following a tussle with Fabian Schar, which saw the Villa striker slip and scrape his studs down his opponent’s back as the pair fell to the ground.

“I thought it was maybe harsh, that was my gut feeling,” Howe said of the dismissal. “I was a little surprised the red card came out.”