Newcastle United were given an early warning of what life could look like without Alexander Isak as they were forced to settle for a 0-0 stalemate against Aston Villa in their Premier League opener, despite playing with a man advantage following Ezri Konsa’s sending-off.
The Villa defender was shown a red card midway through the second half for hauling down Anthony Gordon, yet Newcastle could not find a breakthrough in a performance that underlined their reliance on Isak.
The Swedish striker was unavailable amid growing uncertainty over his future, having reportedly informed the club of his desire to move to Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions. Earlier this month, Newcastle rejected Liverpool’s £110 million ($149 million) offer for the 25-year-old.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe admitted his team lacked the attacking sharpness needed to make their dominance count. “I don’t think we dominated, chance-wise, the way we wanted. We were maybe a little bit too anxious to score,” Howe said. “If you’re not totally together in the Premier League, you’re going to find it very difficult, but I think we answered a few questions today in terms of our spirit.”
Reports suggest Isak is taking drastic measures to push through a move, refusing to train or play while isolating himself at his former club, Real Sociedad, in Spain during pre-season instead of joining Newcastle’s preparations. He was pivotal in guiding Newcastle to Champions League football last season and ending their 56-year trophy drought, making his absence even more significant.
With Isak unavailable, Gordon was deployed as a makeshift striker in the centre of a three-man attack. Newcastle’s new £55 million ($74 million) signing Anthony Elanga made his debut after arriving from Nottingham Forest, while Malick Thiaw, brought in from AC Milan, started on the bench.
Despite controlling large portions of the game, Newcastle’s attack lacked the finishing touch. Elanga squandered a clear chance on his debut, firing straight at Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot, who was making his first appearance after joining from Brest. Gordon also missed from close range, heading over from Harvey Barnes’ cross. Barnes later linked up with Bruno Guimaraes to create another chance for Gordon, whose powerful strike was again saved by Bizot.
In the opening half, Newcastle had eight attempts while Villa managed just two touches inside the opposition penalty area and failed to produce a single shot. Villa eventually forced a save from Nick Pope through Boubacar Kamara’s header right after the interval, but their attacking intent was halted when Konsa was dismissed in the 66th minute after dragging down Gordon as he raced clear on goal.
Even with the numerical advantage, Newcastle could not capitalize. Barnes saw a volley blocked by Matty Cash, and Bizot once more denied Gordon to preserve Villa’s clean sheet.
After the match, Howe called for a swift resolution to Isak’s ongoing transfer saga. “From my perspective, you want a resolution quickly. It’s taking away the focus of the players and the supporters,” he said. “We want to be united together. We’d like a resolution, but we’re not in control of that.”
For Villa, manager Unai Emery could take encouragement from his side’s resilience. Restricted by profit and sustainability rules in the transfer market, Emery has only managed to add Bizot and striker Evann Guessand from Rennes. Still, Villa’s ability to withstand Newcastle’s pressure with 10 men showed character and defensive discipline.
What you should know
Alexander Isak’s absence loomed large over Newcastle’s opening-day performance, with the team struggling to convert chances in his stead.
The Swedish striker, who has been instrumental since arriving from Real Sociedad, is pushing for a move to Liverpool, leaving Newcastle in a difficult position as the transfer window remains open. His uncertain future could define their season.
