Alexander Isak injury update as Newcastle striker limps off in FA Cup defeat to Brighton

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has provided an update on Alexander Isak after the striker appeared to limp off with an injury during their FA defeat to Brighton.

Isak has been in superb form for Newcastle all season and was a welcome return to the starting XI having missed his side’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in midweek due to a groin injury.

And the Swede picked up right where he left off, converting from the spot in the first half to give Newcastle the lead with his 22nd goal of the season in all competitions.

Isak saw a superb second ruled out for offside, but there was concern late on in regulation time when he limped off to be replaced by Callum Wilson in the 86th minute.

The striker then had to watch from the sidelines as Danny Welbeck’s well-taken finish secured Brighton a 2-1 win after extra-time.

Newcastle are back in action in the Premier League next Monday against West Ham before they travel to Wembley to take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

But speaking after Sunday’s defeat, Howe was hopeful that Isak should be able to recover in time and that the substitution was merely fatigue-related.

‘It was just general tiredness, I don’t think there is a problem there,’ Howe told reporters after the game.

‘But as I said before the game if he was fit he would play. Fingers crossed he is OK.’

Elsewhere, there was more bad news for Newcastle as Anthony Gordon was shown a straight red card following his tussle with Jan Paul van Hecke.

A three-match ban would mean Gordon would be unavailable for the Carabao Cup final but Howe suggested the club will consider appealing the deicison.

‘It looks harsh but we’ll have to analyse it properly. I’ve not seen a replay of it, I was just going with my original view of it,’ he told ITV post-match.

Pressed if Newcastle would appeal, Howe responded: ‘Possibly’.

Asked about Gordon’s reaction to the red card, the Newcastle boss responded: ‘I’ve only seen him very briefly before coming out to you but he was really disappointed.’

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