How Newcastle United and Alexander Isak turned their Premier League season around
Updated 09/01/2025 at 13:53 GMT
How things can change in football. Newcastle United were in something of a trot during the early winter period, struggling to find fluency, and wins. But Eddie Howe has overseen a stunning Toon turnaround, taking his side up into the upper reaches of the Premier League table with five top-flight wins on the spin, and with a good shot at reaching the Carabao Cup final. How has he done it?
Highlights: Gordon and Isak strike as Newcastle come from behind to beat Tottenham
Video credit: TNT Sports
On December 7, Newcastle United lost 4-2 away at Brentford to slip to 12th in the Premier League.
It was a result that meant the Toon had won just twice in 11 top-flight games, and saw Eddie Howe address fan frustrations around his side.
"It is always difficult to face the supporters when you haven’t delivered what you want to give them," he said.
"You want to make them proud and feel elated, you want to give them all the opposite emotions of what they were feeling today.
"I would like to thank everyone who came today and I’m really sorry for what we delivered and my pledge is that we will always work as hard as we can to put it right."
Put it right he absolutely has.
Fast forward just over a month and Newcastle are flying, with five Premier League wins in a row, beating the likes of Aston Villa, Spurs and Manchester United and launching themselves into fifth in the table.
What, then, has been behind this remarkable transformation?
The role of Isak
"I think Alexander Isak might be the best all-around centre forward in the league at this moment."
The words of TNT Sports' Ally McCoist last week on Newcastle's Swedish hitman, who has put together a superlative run of form since the autumn, as the stats show...
| Goals scored | % shots on target | % SoT scored | |
| First 8 PL games | 1 | 33.3% | 16.7% |
| Next 12 PL games | 12 | 54.1% | 60.0% |
As of October 26, Isak had one single Premier League goal to his name, but his astonishing purple patch has seen him leapfrog into joint-third in the top scorers list alongside Cole Palmer and Bryan Mbeumo, and behind only Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland.
Speaking of Haaland, McCoist had a favourable comparison to make.
"You look at somebody like Haaland, if he doesn’t get service, sometimes he’s anonymous," he said.
"Whereas Isak will always give you something. Haaland can finish as well as anybody, if not the best on the planet, but in an all-round game, Isak is unstoppable. And the variation in the goals he’s scored, he scores tap-ins, he’ll run through.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/01/04/4078137-82700393-2560-1440.jpg)
McCoist: Isak could be 'best all-round forward' in Premier League
Video credit: TNT Sports
"He’s one of those centre forwards at this moment in time, if you see him go one-on-one with the goalkeeper, you fancy him."
The data bears out McCoist's point on Isak's all-round game, with the Swede's touch map showing his willingness and ability to do his work in all areas of the pitch, with a number of telling penalty-box interventions.
Since Newcastle's meeting with Chelsea on October 27, Isak has scored 12 goals in 12 Premier League games, with three assists to boot.
Even if Newcastle's winning run didn't start until early December, were the roots of their revival in the vital win over Arsenal on November 2?
Isak was up against Gabriel and William Saliba, considered by many the best central defensive partnership in the league, but he made light of that to float between both of them and head home a beautiful opening goal.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/11/02/4057723-82292108-2560-1440.jpg)
'What a header!' – Isak turns home delicious Gordon cross for Newcastle opener
Video credit: TNT Sports
He continued to lead the line expertly as his side ended a run of five top-flight games without a win, and from then on he has gone from strength to strength.
In Newcastle's last league matchday against Spurs he was again instrumental, with another goal that evidenced his uncanny ability to find space in the box - and finish.
He is now on a scoring streak of seven consecutive games as the plaudits continue to roll in for the 25-year-old.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/01/04/4078192-82701488-2560-1440.jpg)
On-fire Isak completes first-half comeback for Newcastle at Spurs
Video credit: TNT Sports
The importance of crossing
A quick analysis of Isak's goals since that Chelsea clash reveals the thought-through method behind the service into the striker.
| Isak goals | Assist | Method |
| v Chelsea | Hall | Cross |
| v Arsenal | Gordon | Cross |
| v Forest | Burn | From corner |
| v Liverpool | Guimaraes | Pass |
| v Brentford | Murphy | Cross |
| v Leicester | Hall | Cross |
| v Ipswich (x3) | n/a, Guimaraes, Murphy | Second-phase from cross, pass, cross |
| v Aston Villa | Murphy | Cross |
| v Man Utd | Hall | Cross |
| v Spurs | Murphy | Cross |
That's nine goals from crosses, and one from a corner - with four assists from Jacob Murphy, another player to have starred for Newcastle of late.
Howe alluded to how Murphy - and his crosses - have been key to his side's productivity in front of goal.
"He [Murphy] is old-fashioned in the sense that he's a right-footed player playing on the right-hand side, which I think is a good dynamic for us," Howe said.
"Probably Jacob's stand-out quality is his crossing ability. He's very good, whether it's high crosses, low crosses, he's got that ability to drive infield and then take the line and produce for us.
"Alex has been the beneficiary of that on a number of occasions this season."
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/01/08/4079339-82724433-2560-1440.jpg)
Howe on indispensable Isak after starring against Arsenal - 'We can't risk losing him'
Video credit: SNTV
The midfield reshuffle
If the attack has functioned so well, then that's also because of a key tweak in Howe's engine room.
Sandro Tonali, having missed so much football due to his betting ban, first moved into the base of Newcastle's midfield for the 4-0 thrashing of Leicester on December 14, and has provided the running power, solidity and guile that has powered his side's mid-season charge.
Including that game, they have won seven in a row in all competitions, with 20 goals scored and just two conceded.
If this evolution continues, there could be plenty more joy for Newcastle fans yet this season.
- - -
Stream the 2024-25 Premier League live on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Thoughts?
Advertisement
Advertisement