Eddie Howe now confirms why Callum Wilson didn’t replace Alexander Isak after Newcastle blow

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Newcastle United were held to a bitterly disappointing 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

To say Newcastle deserved all three Premier League points would perhaps be being too generous.

Eddie Howe’s side, after all, did not have a shot on target of their own and took the lead through an own goal from former transfer target, Marc Guehi.

Still, it’s hugely frustrating not to have seen the game out. This is a Palace team struggling towards the bottom of the league table and failing to hang on in the closing stages of the game was incredibly frustrating.

Nick Pope might have done better for the Daniel Munoz goal that gave Palace a lifeline but, frankly, the whole afternoon proved disappointing. There didn’t appear to be any kind of reaction from the defeat to West Ham on Monday.

Clearly, they weren’t helped by the fact Alexander Isak was forced off during the first-half, albeit suggesting that was the reason Newcastle didn’t win would be being too generous.

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Interestingly, rather than bringing on the fit-again Callum Wilson, the Newcastle United manager initially turned to Harvey Barnes to replace Isak.

Wilson did come on towards the end of the game but it was strange to see Howe replace a striker with a winger.

Speaking after the game, however, Howe revealed why.

Eddie Howe explains Callum Wilson substitution decision

Talking to The Chronicle, Howe said: “It was a difficult one for Callum today. Obviously, he has minimal training time and I have to be really, really careful I don’t push him and lose him.

“So I didn’t feel bringing him on at that stage with the minutes we had left of the game was something I could do. The plan pre-game was 20 to 30 minutes as it was against West Ham.

“So I decided to put Anthony up there who has done a really good job when he’s gone up there for us previously and I thought he did well today. The lack of goalscoring opportunities is not on him. It’s on the team and we need to do better.”

Newcastle have a big decision to make on Callum Wilson

What Howe is saying certainly makes sense. Newcastle can hardly afford to risk Wilson given the extent of his injury problems.

Still, the games are piling thick and fast now. Newcastle host Liverpool on Wednesday and while Anthony Gordon has previously impressed as a striker, playing the league leaders with a makeshift centre-forward is hardly ideal.

If Isak isn’t fit, it’ll be fascinating to see what he does…