Why Alexander Isak Isn’t Playing for Newcastle vs. Arsenal | OneFootball

Newcastle United have confirmed that Alexander Isak missed his side’s trip to Arsenal on Sunday with a “minor groin injury”.

Isak has been a familiar tormentor for Arsenal this season. The prolific Sweden international scored the only goal of the reverse fixture at St. James’ Park back in November and also found the net when the Magpies visited the Emirates Stadium earlier this year for the first leg of their triumphant Carabao Cup semifinal.

There wouldn’t be any chance to replicate those heroics for Isak on Sunday thanks to a muscular issue. Isak had started Newcastle’s previous nine Premier League matches since sitting out the trip to Liverpool with another groin problem.

Callum Wilson, who has endured a rotten run of injuries himself, led the line for the visitors at the Emirates. In stark contrast to Newcastle’s misfortune, Arsenal were able to welcome Kai Havertz back to his first matchday squad since suffering a severe hamstring injury in January.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta hailed his forward’s recovery as “unbelievable” while teasing his return this week. The German is a welcome returnee but doesn’t boast the same potent edge of Newcastle’s absent talisman.

Arsenal have hardly been the only team to suffer against Isak. Newcastle’s most prolific striker since the legendary Alan Shearer boasts 27 goals in 41 games across all competitions this term. Over the past two campaigns, Isak has rattled in more than half a century of goals for Eddie Howe’s side, prompting a raft of admiring glances from numerous clubs, including Arsenal.

Arteta has promised a “very exciting summer” of transfer activity while acknowledging the need for a someone to finish off the chances his side can create.

Whether the Gunners can conjure an offer to persuade Newcastle to part ways with their cherished forward very much remains to be seen. Isak would reportedly command more than £150 million ($199.2 million), while the likes of RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško and Sporting CP frontman Viktor Gyökeres would be expected to cost half as much.