Newcastle United latest news: Eddie Howe’s side face Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday (8pm kick-off).
The Magpies will not get the chance to face-off against their former striker this weekend as he remains sidelined with a broken leg. Isak has scored just three goals since his British record move to Liverpool in the summer - but Howe wants the narrative of his departure from Tyneside to move on ahead of Newcastle United’s meeting with Arne Slot’s side.
“We've moved on and Liverpool have moved on. It's irrelevant what happened then,” Howe claimed on Friday morning.
“It's about what happens now and for us it's about making sure we become as strong as we can in every transfer window. We're not looking back, we're looking forward.
Asked how the Magpies have adapted following Isak’s move to Merseyside, Howe added: “It’s an ever-challenging thing. You lose a player like Alex… and let’s put this right, Liverpool paid the money they did because he’s an outstanding footballer. An unbelievable talent.
“We were privileged to have him for the years that we had him. We loved working with him. He was an outstanding player.
“When you take that player away from your team, it’s going to change the dynamics, that’s for sure. Then you have to try to find a way of, not replacing him, but finding a player or players who can still make the team really effective. We’re still in that moment and we’ve been trying to do that all season.
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“I think the guys who have come in have done a very good job. But we’re still finding ways to get the best out of the new players that we’ve signed without training, with very minimal time to do any work with them. There’s been video analysis, talking to them, which is great, but it’s not the same as getting the work on the training pitch. They’ve done really well and they’re trying to give the team the best that they have and we are trying to adapt.”
Eddie Howe makes Newcastle United transfer claim
Hugo Ekitike is expected to start up-front for Liverpool this weekend in Isak’s absence. Ekitike is well-known to Newcastle United fans, having been a long-term transfer target for them.
The Magpies even made a bid for the Frenchman in the summer, but were gazumped by interest from Anfield. Having netted in the reverse fixture on Tyneside back in August, Newcastle United know all too well of the qualities that he possesses and Howe was full of praise for the former PSG man ahead of his side’s trip to the north west.
“A very, very good player,” Howe replied when asked about Ekitike. “I think it is well known that I have liked him for a number of years. I tried to sign him twice.
“He has got a bit of everything. He has great movement, can score with both feet, he's good in the air and dribbles with the ball really well.
“He is someone we are going to have to do really, really well against and I thought we did relatively well against him in the first game but, of course, he scored. He is a big talent.”
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