Alexander Isak of Newcastle United speaks with Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United, following the team's victory Carabao Cup Third Round match between Newcastle United and Manchester Cityat St James' Park on September 27, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United speaks with Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United, following the team's victory Carabao Cup Third Round match between Newcastle United and Manchester Cityat St James' Park on September 27, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alexander Isak left Newcastle United in the summer to join Liverpool for a British record £130million.
Newcastle face Liverpool for the first time since Isak moved to Anfield for a British record £130million. The striker, however, won’t be involved tomorrow night as he recovers from a broken leg.
But whether he is watching from home or the stands, Isak can expect to hear chants from the sold-out away end, with his summer actions still leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of supporters.
Newcastle United have moved on from Alexander Isak transfer saga - Eddie Howe
Internally though, United have moved on, according to Howe.
Newcastle’s boss said: “We've moved on, and Liverpool have moved on. It's irrelevant what happened then. It's about what happens now, and for us, it's about making sure that we become as strong as we can in every transfer window.
“So we're not looking back, we're very much looking forward.”
Asked if there were any lingering bad-feeling, Howe replied: “Certainly not on our side. I think we're just preparing for a game of football. I think all of the stuff that happened in the summer is very much in the past.
“I think when you're in football, you realise you can't ever look back for too long because the game doesn't allow you to. It's always about tomorrow and making sure you're ready for future battles that you have on the pitch.
“So all our focus since the summer transfer window ended has been on trying to make sure we're strong, looking after ourselves, not worrying about any other club.”
“I think it was new for us,” Howe added. “I don't think we've been in that situation before. I don't know because it was going on through pre-season, so I'm not necessarily sure it brought us closer together. I don't think it's that kind of moment, really.
“It was a distraction, if I'm honest, while we're trying to glue the squad together for the season and trying to impose our culture and how we want to play. It was the most talked-about thing in world football, I think, in that moment. Ideally, we wouldn't have that every summer.”
Have Newcastle United missed Alexander Isak?
Newcastle invested £124million into their new strike force, bringing in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa from Stuttgart and Brentford, respectively.
Howe said: “I think it's an ever-challenging thing because obviously you lose a player like Alex, and let's put this right, Liverpool paid the money they did for him because he's an outstanding footballer, an unbelievable talent. We were privileged to have him for the years that we had him and we loved working with him. He was an outstanding player.
“So then when you take that player away from your team, that's going to change the dynamics, that's for sure. And then you've got to try and find a way of, not necessarily replacing him, but finding another player or players that can still make the team really effective. And we're sort of in that moment where we've been trying to do that all season, and I think the guys that have come in have done a very, very good job.
“But we're still finding ways, as I said earlier, to try and get the best out of the new players that we've signed without training, with very minimal time to do any work with them. And a lot of that's been video analysis, talking to them, which is great, but it's not the same as actually getting the work on the training pitch.
“So I think they've done really well and they're trying to give the team the best that they have, and we are trying to adapt.”
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