Alexander Isak injury update as Eddie Howe confirms ‘devastating’ Newcastle blow

Howe accepted it had been a tough week after Lewis Hall was ruled out of the rest of the season and Anthony Gordon was banned for three matches, including the Carabao Cup final

Eddie Howe delivered a positive update on Alexander Isak return from injury as he lamented Newcastle’s misfortune in a week that has seen Anthony Gordon banned for the Carabao Cup final and Lewis Hall ruled out of the rest of the season.

Newcastle have decided that they will not appeal Gordon’s three-game ban for the red card he received in the FA Cup defeat to Brighton last weekend, while it has been confirmed that left back Hall is out of the rest of the campaign due to a foot injury. Sven Botman, meanwhile, has been ruled out for eight weeks with a knee problem.

It comes as a major blow to Newcastle ahead of facing Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday 16 March, but Howe is hopeful that top-scorer Isak will be fit for the Premier League fixture against West Ham on Monday night. Isak was brought off before extra time as Newcastle crashed out of the FA Cup against Brighton, having missed the defeat at Liverpool due to a calf injury.

“He’s fine,” Howe said. “He came off feeling fatigued, a tightness in his body. But he’s trained every day this week. We still have two more training sessions before Monday night’s game but at the moment that would be enough. Fingers crossed we can keep everyone else fit.”

Howe explained that there was “no chance” of overturning Gordon’s suspension, with the winger sent off for lashing out at Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke, striking him with two hands in the back of the head.

“We felt there wasn’t sufficient grounds to [appeal],” Howe said. “There was no intention from Anthony. He didn’t mean to hurt anybody.