Eddie Howe will be pleased with Newcastle United’s recent performances.
Newcastle’s win against Ipswich on Saturday propelled them up to eighth in the Premier League table despite having the lowest number of goalscorers in the league.
Eddie Howe’s side could go even higher with a win against Aston Villa on Boxing Day before tough games away at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 5 |  B’mouthBournemouth | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 21 | 6 | 28 |
| 6 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 28 |
| 7 |  Man CityManchester City | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 29 | 25 | 4 | 27 |
| 8 |  NewcastleNewcastle | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 27 | 21 | 6 | 26 |
| 9 |  FulhamFulham | 17 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 24 | 22 | 2 | 25 |
| 10 |  BrightonBrighton | 17 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 25 |
The Toon boss praised Murphy for his recent performances saying that he ‘always plays for the team’. The 29-year-old’s three assists in as many games is a reflection of that.
While the whole team seems to be gelling on the pitch at the moment, there’s one man Howe is particularly pleased with.
Eddie Howe says Alexander Isak has no weakness
Normal service has resumed for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak after a slow start to the season. Isak’s hat-trick against Ipswich made it 10 Premier League goals for the season with nine of them coming in his last seven appearances.
The Swede was Newcastle’s top scorer last season and is now only six goals off matching Callum Wilson’s league total.
Howe was asked about Isak in his pre-match press conference which was streamed on Newcastle’s website.
“It’s all about refinement with Alex. I don’t see a weakness in his game.
“For that sum of money we paid he had to hit the ground straight away and he’s done that.
“Huge credit to him. It looks like he’s hitting his best rhythm now.”
Isak is Newcastle’s record signing joining the club for £63 million in 2022 but given his recent performances, he looks to be worth every penny.
Isak has more goals than Thierry Henry at this stage
The 25-year-old’s form since joining Newcastle has been sensational and it’s no surprise that Arsenal want Isak based on his performances.
The Swede has been likened to Gunners legend Thierry Henry for his agility and technical ability but Isak has actually scored more goals than Henry did at the same stage of their Premier League careers.
After 67 games, Henry scored 36 goals, and Isak’s scored 41.
Isak’s goals in 2024 put him in line to break Alan Shearer’s 22-year record for the most goals scored in a calendar year. He has two games to score five goals but given his form at the moment fans will back him to break that.
Isak scored the winner against Arsenal in November giving Mikel Arteta a taste of what he’s missing out on.
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