Alexander Isak’s Newcastle scoring stats are remarkable
Alexander Isak is quickly becoming a Newcastle United hero.
The Sweden international followed up his crucial goals against Wolves and Nottingham Forest with the winner at Brentford on Saturday as Eddie Howe’s side came from behind to keep their place in the Premier League’s top four.
While Newcastle were hardly at their best in west London, there’s an old adage that claims good teams manage to dig out results when they’re not playing particularly well. Thanks to a clinical marksman such as Isak, doing that gets an awful lot easier.
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Many outside the club may have scoffed when the club paid a record £60m for a player who had only once hit double figures for goals in one of Europe’s top five leagues before in his career.
Still, even during a first season hampered by injuries, Isak has answered such critics and his record stands at a ridiculous eight goals in nine League starts.
Alexander Isak is scoring when it matters
Indeed, the context of those goals is also hugely important.
As pointed out by Opta, seven of the 23-year-old’s eight goals have either drawn Newcastle level in games or proven to be the winner.
Twice has he brought his team back to restore parity with their opposition and five of his goals have given his team the lead, three of which ended up winning the game.
Given his late penalty at Forest also meant he was the only Premier League player to have twice scored a winner in the 89th minute or later this season, it’d be fair to say Isak has established himself as a hero already.
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Newcastle’s No.9 shirt could soon be his
Not even close to approaching what is widely thought to be a player’s prime age any time soon, the future is very bright for both Isak and Newcastle.
Howe has even hinted that his star striker has the tools to one day take Callum Wilson’s place in the club’s iconic No.9 shirt and it’d take a brave observer to argue that.
Isak has taken the Premier League by storm.