If there’s one thing that has threatened to derail Newcastle United’s quest for Champions League football, it’s a lack of cutting edge.
Chelsea and Fulham are the only teams in the top half of the Premier League to have scored fewer goals than Eddie Howe’s side thus far (39). Indeed, no club has drawn on more occasions either and the team’s inability to finish the job recently had Alan Shearer venting his frustration.
Luckily, and while it was often arduous, they got over the line against Nottingham Forest.
Given the sheer number of missed chances away at Forest, it always seemed as if Howe’s side were going to need something special.
On the stroke of half-time, that’s exactly what they got.
Alexander Isak’s brilliant goal
Alexander Isak volleyed in a brilliant equaliser after Emmanuel Dennis’ opener following a Joe Willock cross. Excellent against Wolves last week, the £60m Swede bagged his second in as many games by digging out a controlled finish while in mid-air to have Jamie Carragher purring.
“Willock puts that ball in and wow,” he said.
Wow indeed. What a brilliant goal when Newcastle needed it most. That, after all, is what £60m should get you.
Isak would then bag a late penalty to wrap the three points up and send the Magpies into the international break just a point off fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand.