Eddie Howe admits Newcastle are unlikely to sign a striker in the January transfer window despite the injury problems affecting Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.
Isak limped out of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace midway through the first half after taking a bang to the hip and could be facing another spell out having already been sidelined this season by a toe problem.
Wilson was on the bench as forward cover but given that he made his first appearance of the season against West Ham on Monday because of a back issue, it was felt he was not ready to play 68 minutes at Selhurst Park and was not brought on until the 75th minute.
Eddie Howe says Newcastle are unlikely to sign a striker next month
Eddie Howe says Newcastle are unlikely to sign a striker next month(Ben Whitley/PA)
It meant Newcastle played most of the match without a recognised striker and they paid the price by managing just a single off-target shot all game with a blunder by Palace captain Marc Guehi providing their goal.
But when asked if he would add to his options up front next month, Howe said: “That’s a difficult one. I don’t think so.
“Fully fit Premier League strikers who can score goals will cost us an extortionate amount of money that we don’t have. We’ve got to back the players that we do have.
“I know we have got players who will score and create. I have got no issue with the quality of the players we have got.”
Wilson’s comeback is being carefully managed and with Newcastle’s goals drying up this season – only five clubs have scored fewer than their 14 in 13 matches– Howe is demanding the whole team steps up.
Thank you for your sensational backing at Selhurst Park this afternoon.
Safe journey home. 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/0TY01WoqCX
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) November 30, 2024
“It was a difficult one with Callum. He’s had minimal training time. I’ve got to be really careful we don’t push him too early and we lose him,” he said.
“I didn’t think bringing him on at the stage of the game with the minutes that were left was something that I could do.
“The plan pre-game was 20-30 minutes, as it was against West Ham. I decided to put Anthony Gordon up there and he’s done a really good job for us when he’s been up there previously.
“He did well but the lack of goalscoring opportunities isn’t on him, it’s the team and we need to do better.”
Palace rescued a point when Daniel Munoz pounced with a towering header deep into stoppage time as the Eagles continued to steady the ship after a dismal start to the season.
Munoz providing the late scenes:#CPFC // #CRYNEW pic.twitter.com/ohfbxA2L1R
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) November 30, 2024
The draw lifted them out of the bottom three and they have now lost just one of their last five Premier League games.
“We’re close to turning it around,” midfielder Will Hughes told Palace TV.
“I know the point’s not the end of the world, but it does feel like two dropped. We just have to keep believing in the way we’re playing.
“We’re playing well. When you’re only winning one in 13 games it doesn’t seem like that.
“But we’ve turned a corner from the start of the season definitely, in our performances and our intensity.
“It’s just a matter of when we get those couple of wins together, and then the confidence will be sky high.”