On Monday evening, Liverpool left St. James' Park with all the goods, but Eddie Howe's Newcastle United strengthened that tight bond with their devoted fanbase and proved once again their tenacity and will to win.
On face value, one point from the opening two fixtures of the Premier League is frustrating viewing for Magpies fans, but, strikerless and disrupted by the Alexander Isak saga that has shaped Newcastle's summer transfer window, the squad have showcased remarkable togetherness against Aston Villa and the defending champions.
Osula-Bruno-Guimaraes-Newcastle
It seems that the next few days will finally shed light on whether Isak will stay or go, with Yasir Al-Rumayyan in town and leading crunch talks to reach a resolution.
In the event that the rebel Sweden striker does get his wish, Newcastle would require not one but two new number nines, and that might be tricky to achieve at the eleventh hour of his breakneck transfer window.
And, of course, the unsavoury situation has been exacerbated by Anthony Gordon's red card, picked up against Liverpool on Monday night.
Anthony Gordon's night of anguish
Gordon apologised after the match: he apologised to the fans, to the club and to Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. His intentions were pure. But even so, the versatile forward is now banned for three Premier League matches: Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bournemouth.
newcastle-gordon-liverpool
It's a concern, for Gordon had started Newcastle's opening fixtures as a stand-in centre-forward, and unless United act with rapidity in the coming days, Saturday's visit to Elland Road will see William Osula handed his first top-flight start in England.
The 24-year-old Gordon, who won Newcastle's 2023/24 Player of the Season, struggled to reach the same talismanic heights last year, but he returned to United's pre-season camp with renewed vim and vigour, and is expected to play a defining role in the term ahead.
Anthony Gordon 2023-24 and 2024-25 stats (timeless)
However, his passion got the better of him once again, his third red card as a Magpie.
Newcastle need to start getting some points on the board, and to achieve that, they must land themselves an out-and-out striker.
Luckily, PIF have just the player in mind.
Newcastle to bid for Premier League striker
According to The Chronicle's Lee Ryder, Newcastle are planning to launch another bid for Wolves striker Jørgen Strand Larsen, having already seen a £50m offer knocked back on Monday afternoon. The Toon, for clarification, remains in talks for the Norway international.
Previous reports outline the Old Gold wish to see £65m banked for the striker they signed on a permanent deal this summer, following his successful 2024/25 loan stint at Molineux.
Ryder intimates the 25-year-old Strand Larsen has been earmarked as a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left Newcastle at the end of his contract in June, with a move greenlit by Al-Rumayyan.
In other words, he is not considered Isak's potential successor, and may yet play alongside the Sweden star this season.
Why Newcastle want Jorgen Strand Larsen
Newcastle have signed several talented players this summer, yet the focal striking berth remains untouched, with Wilson's exit indeed depleting the ranks.
The England international was sidelined for most of last season through injury, so Strand Larsen would feel like quite the imposing fresh presence, having scored 14 times across his debut campaign in England's top flight last year.
Strand Larsen 2024-25 stats (timeless)
Following that thought, it's unlikely that Newcastle would welcome both Strand Larsen and Brentford's Yoane Wissa, who is desperate to join the Tynesiders and has been the subject of a rejected bid, yet remains at the Gtech, with his employers not looking to sell.
Strand Larsen could be the perfect alternative, potentially even surpassing the DR Congo international. What we know for sure, in any case, is that the Norwegian would mark an upgrade on Gordon, who is a great player but not a striker.
Gordon at NUFC by Position
Position
Left winger
Centre-forward
Right winger
Attacking midfield
Data via Transfermarkt
Sofascore record that Gordon has actually missed three big chances across his one-and-a-half matches in the Premier League this season, without scoring a goal.
Ten shots all told prove that Gordon has the hunger to moonlight as a striker, but when you've got someone like Strand Larsen who operates with a similarly relentless ball-striking emphasis, it's clear that Howe would land himself an upgrade, for the Wolves star is equipped to score goals with consistency as the frontman of a side who have demonstrated their creative capacity over these past two matchweeks.
Anthony Gordon's early season form
Indeed, data-driven site FBref have recorded that Strand Larsen ranks among the top 1% of Premier League strikers last season for shot accuracy, with 61.1% of his efforts hitting the target.
And anyway, Gordon's pace and fleet running are best utilised out wide, sure to work in wonderful tandem with a target man like Strand Larsen, who was hailed by pundit Alan Shearer last season for being a "nuisance" of a forward who showcased at times some neat hold-up play and a willingness to use his focal role to promote the overall fluency of his team.
Strand Larsen is a top talent, to be sure, and he's demonstrated across his debut year in the English game that he has what it takes to thrive as a chief goalscorer for a team battling against the threat of relegation.
Luckily, Newcastle's sights are set on a different part of the league ladder, but there's every chance that he could prove to be a wonderful addition for Howe's side, who could do with a goalscorer such as him to mark an upgrade on Gordon, who has made it clear in recent weeks that he is not a viable solution to the conundrum at number nine.