**Newcastle United**wrap up the second matchday of the Premier League when they host reigning champions Liverpool. This repeat of the Carabao Cup final, which the Toon won 2-1, was already a fiery fixture in waiting when the schedule came out. But the sage of the summer has raised the stakes.
**Eddie Howe**has highlighted the belief of his battle-hardened group. They will still be without their talisman, but his absence is almost a positive on the best stage to show he might be making a mistake.
How much will the twelfth man matter?
The first fixture of the new season on a Monday night at St. James' Park should produce bedlam. But the meaning of this match could elevate the significance of the supporters to a greater level next week.
**Alexander Isak**is still out of action. He missed the preseason tour at the end of July with a "minor thigh injury", but that tale only temporarily masked the matter of his desire to depart the North-East.
The Swedish striker set sail for Spain to train at the facilities of his former club, Real Sociedad.
When he returned to Tyneside, he was not allowed to attend a barbecue with the rest of the squad as relations strained further. Despite the value of his presence as a number nine, Eddie Howe thought that it would be better to take his group to Villa Park without him there, banking on their unity.
The last few days have deepened the ill will in this saga, as Isak was not present in Manchester to celebrate his nomination for the Team of the Year. He put out a statement on his Instagram account, claiming that the end of this relationship would be the best decision for all parties involved.
The Toon would hasten to disagree, having failed to sign Hugo Ekitiké, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Benjamin Sesko, or **Bryan Mbeumo**to reinforce the offensive roster. But the disgust towards Isak is felt in equal measure to the club who have been circling for his signature throughout this summer.
As August started, **Liverpool**launched a £110 million bid for the 25-year-old. Newcastle rejected the offer, and the two clubs have been locked in a deadlock since, with no more proposals on the table.
The Reds will be happy with the services of Ekitiké and may choose not to sign the Swede after all. But they have done damage to his bond with the Geordies, who will be in full voice on Monday.
How will the Toon address the number nine role?
Isak is a factor in the thinking, even if the Toon will be willing to go into battle without him again.
The striker is a more classic focal point. He moves smartly across the frontline, has quick feet to link with his teammates, and even if he is not the most powerful aerial presence, his 6'4" frame is a threat from crosses. All of those tools have helped to make a difference for Newcastle over previous years.
There is no one like him in the squad. Will Osula is a promising player who showed what he can do in the Under-21 **European Championships**with **Denmark**this summer. But he was one of several options in the middle of the front three for Howe in preseason and watched on the bench against Villa.
Anthony Gordon got the nod for most of the match. He would like to play on the left flank, where he can wreak havoc with his persistence, running, and direct dribbling on the outside. However, he still got seven shots last week, and can stretch opponents off the ball, teasing Ezri Konsa into a red card.
Maybe they will look to their other threats in their squad to get on the scoresheet in this fixture.
**Milos Kerkez**and Jeremie Frimpong are fullbacks who excelled on the offence for **Bournemouth**and Bayer Leverkusen. But at this level, it is all about helping the big stars in the attack, and being a stable defensive presence goes some way to doing that: it is not exactly a strength of either signing.
**Anthony Elanga**was a terrific tool for Nottingham Forest on the counterattack, and he has added electric pace to an attack that already know how to be direct and go through the gears. His shots were wayward against Aston Villa, but the raw capacity to create a threat in the final third is undeniable.
Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento coupled up well from the left flank and will look to trouble Frimpong. Isak is a miss, but Howe will be backing the talent across the attack to try and cause a stir.
Bring on the midfield battle
It is easy to say each time **Newcastle United**touch the pitch, but the midfield battle will be big again.
If one could say something negative about their first choice trident, the Toon do not have an outstanding creative force in the final third. But all three players do more than their fair share of work with the ball, and above all, they have mastered the art of muddying up the middle of the park.
Pass master Youri Tielemans, midfield motor Amadou Onana, and stable six Boubacar Kamara could not get the transitions going at all last week. The Toon were a step ahead in terms of intensity, embracing the duels for second balls, and will want to replicate that energy against the champions.
The midfield unit has been problematic for the guests. Alexis Mac Allister is working his way back to full fitness, while Ryan Gravenberch, a reformed six, has been missing from the last two outings.
The Dutchman did not feature against Palace due to the birth of his partner's baby, while a red card against the Eagles ruled him out of the contest against Bournemouth. In both meetings, Dominik Szoboszlai sat deep, and the Hungarian, usually a number ten, was not always wise to the danger.
Both men will be fit enough to play in the double pivot for the Reds. Szoboszlai might still start as the attacking midfielder to avoid a rough baptism of fire for the nine-figure newcomer Florian Wirtz.
Whoever Arne Slot selects, he knows that his team have struggled to control transitions as well as he would have liked. Improvement can come with time, but this clash could come too early for his group.