Newcastle United

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

With Alexander Isak remaining determined to join Liverpool, the Sweden international would have a lot of bridges to rebuild if he was to ever represent Newcastle again.

"You've got a guy who's on £100k-a-week-plus not playing, and you've got the normal fan paying £60 to £70 for a ticket every week expecting him to be in the team," the Magpies' all-time leading scorer Alan Shearer told BBC 5 Live.

"That is why it hurts them so much.

"There is no loyalty [in football] - clubs look after themselves and players look after themselves, but there's a way of doing things. The way that Alex is doing this at the moment is not the right way.

"Liverpool have got into his agent and to offer £110m is rather belittling when you have midfielders going for £105m. They know they aren't going to get Isak for £110m.

"You've got a guy who played a huge part in one of Newcastle's best seasons ever, winning the club's first trophy for 70 years, qualifying again for the Champions League. Yet with three years left on his contract he says he doesn't want to play here any more."

Newcastle head coach Howe said the away end were "very free" to make their feelings known about the player after the game, but he stressed in the same post-match news conference that the door remains open for Isak to be reintegrated.

He reiterated that it is down to Isak to "decide what he wants to do" as the striker continues to train away from the group.

Howe ideally wants a swift resolution - and understandably so.

Pundits Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's opening Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

• Tottenham 3-0 Burnley

• Wolves 0-4 Manchester City

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Opening-day fixtures do not come much tougher.

A trip to a fortress like Villa Park was challenging enough for Newcastle. That task became even more difficult without a recognised striker.

There is no doubt that Alexander Isak's determination to join Liverpool has overshadowed Newcastle's preparations for the new season.

But, rather than use that as an excuse, Eddie Howe said his players knew that they "had to step up and give more".

Their effort and commitment certainly could not be questioned against Aston Villa.

For all the pre-match talk about a player who wants to leave Newcastle, it was quickly apparent that this group are together.

There were double high fives and a team huddle before the game, and a clear message was sent: Newcastle were united without their talisman.

The Magpies played like a team and locked Villa out and dominated possession in the first half. But it was rather telling that a grimacing Howe had his hands on his head at various points.

Having seen Anthony Elanga and Anthony Gordon spurn decent openings, the head coach knew his side had to be more ruthless after the break.

The pair went on to link up midway through the second half after Elanga sent Gordon racing clear and a panicked Ezri Konsa pulled the forward back.

But Newcastle could not make that man advantage count after Konsa was sent off.

The club's need for a goalscorer is clear - regardless of what happens with Isak in the final couple of weeks of the window.

• Listen to Anthony Gordon post-match reaction with BBC Radio Newcastle

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United drew 0-0 away to Aston Villa on Saturday in their opening game of the Premier League season and manager Eddie Howe believes his players 'gave everything'.

"I'm happy with the point. I thought we were magnificent, front-foot, very aggressive. We had chances to score," Howe told BBC Match of the Day.

"I think we had a bit of a lull in the game until the red card and then came on strong again. I'm disappointed we didn't win. I don't think we dominated, chance-wise, the way we wanted. We were maybe a little bit too anxious to score but the players really turned up and gave everything."

On needing a striker: "I can't criticise anyone who played today. I thought Anthony Gordon was very good in that position. I couldn't fault his performance. I think we have to focus at how the team functioned rather than any individual.

"If you're not totally together in the Premier League, you're going to find it very difficult. I think we answered a few questions today in terms of our spirit. We have to do that on a regular basis, not just today."

On Alexander Isak: "From my perspective, you want a resolution quickly. It's taking away the focus of the players, of the supporters. We want to be united together. We'd like a resolution, but we're not in control of that."

He added, speaking to TNT Sports: "It's a difficult one to answer. I hope it's resolved quickly, because it's news around us all the time. Players have managed to shut that out and perform. We have to continue to do that. We have to cope without the narrative against us."

On facing Liverpool next: "It's always spicy against Liverpool, there's a history to the fixture. We look forward to it. We know how good they are."

On Anthony Elanga: "He was really good. I thought he was direct, showed real quality. He looks like a player who will elevate us."

• Hear more from Howe speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle

Image source, Getty Images

• Newcastle have failed to win any of their last six Premier League games without Alexander Isak (D4 L2), failing to score in each of their last four, despite having 75 shots (9.4 xG) across those six matches.

• Moreover, Newcastle have also failed to score in their opening fixture in 13 Premier League seasons, the most such blanks of any side in the competition's history.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Aston Villa's performance

What did you make of Newcastle's display?

Come back to this page on Sunday to find a selection of your replies

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez is suspended after his red card in the final day defeat at Manchester United, which cost Villa a Champions League spot.

It means Marco Bizot, a summer signing from Brest, makes his debut in goal but he is the only new signing to start.

New striker Evann Guessand, a £26m signing from Rennes, starts on the bench.

Aston Villa XI: Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Onana, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Watkins.

Subs: Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde, Buendia, Malen, Jimoh-Alboba, Iling-Junior, Guessand, Wright

Newcastle start the season without star man Alexander Isak as his transfer saga continues with the striker still trying to force a move to Liverpool.

Anthony Elanga makes his debut after a £55m move from Nottingham Forest while new arrivals Malik Thiaw and Aaron Ramsdale are on the bench.

Anthony Gordon will lead the line in Isak's absence.

Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento, Tonali, Joelinton, Guimaraes, Barnes, Gordon, Elanga.

Subs: Hall, Botman, Thiaw, Krafth, Osula, Murphy, Seung-soo, Miley, Ramsdale

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Aston Villa v Newcastle (12:30)

• Brighton v Fulham

• Sunderland v West Ham - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Tottenham v Burnley - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Wolves v Manchester City (17:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

All kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

BBC Sport explores some of the major talking points surrounding the opening day fixture between Unai Emery's Aston Villa and Eddie Howe's Newcastle United, with both clubs experiencing a turbulent pre-season.

Only goal difference separated these sides in 2024-25, with Newcastle returning to the Champions League by finishing fifth and denying Aston Villa the chance to repeat their run to last season's quarter-finals. But the two clubs to disrupt the established order in recent years have struggled to build on their success this summer.

Villa were fined £9.5m by Uefa in July for breaching the European governing body's financial rules last season, including spending more than the permitted 80% of income on player wages. Reports suggest they have also sold their women's team to parent company V Sports to comply with the Premier League's profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR).

"There are rules which are pretty much unfair if you ask me," said Villa captain John McGinn when asked about PSR earlier this month. "We have got owners who want to invest in the team and want to spend to kick the club on, but they are not allowed to do it."

Forward Evann Guessand is Villa's only major signing for an initial £26m and key midfielder Boubacar Kamara has signed a new contract, but there were no significant outgoings until the imminent £40m sale to Newcastle of boyhood Villa fan Jacob Ramsey.

This is Unai Emery's sixth transfer window since he took charge in November 2022 and in that time Villa's net spend is negative, with the club £10.7m in profit once Ramsey's departure is accounted for. By comparison, Chelsea's net spend in that same timeframe totals more than half a billion.

Newcastle have also endured a turbulent summer with a string of failed bids for high-profile players.

To make matters worse, star striker Alexander Isak is reportedly attempting to force through a move to Liverpool. The Magpies rejected a £110m bid for the Swede who will not feature this weekend.

Isak scored 23 times and provided six assists in last season's Premier League and was directly involved in more than 40% of the club's total league goals, scoring 33.85% of them.

Replacing his output will be a tough ask as no other Newcastle player reached doubles figures for league goals last season. The nearest was winger Harvey Barnes with nine.

The Magpies have at least strengthened their squad with the additions of winger Anthony Elanga, 23, and centre-back Malick Thiaw, 24, plus a loan deal for goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. Despite the new additions, Eddie Howe's side face a tricky opener and have lost five of their last six visits to Villa Park.

Aston Villa ended the season on a 21-match unbeaten home streak across all competitions (W15, D6), their longest since a run of 24 games between September 1976 and May 1977. However, they were thrashed 5-1 by Newcastle when the sides last met on the opening day, at St James' Park just two years ago.

Newcastle's big problem is Alexander Isak, who surely won't be involved while his future is being resolved.

That means they are without one of the Premier League's best strikers and Anthony Gordon will probably play as a false nine, which is not ideal.

Villa have their own issues and they must be struggling to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR) because there has been a lot of talk of Ollie Watkins leaving this summer - they have signed another striker, Evann Guessand, but they definitely need to keep hold of Watkins too.

This is a hard one to call because, despite all the doom and gloom surrounding Newcastle, they are still a strong and exciting side.

But Villa are at home and we know how dangerous they are under Unai Emery, so I'm going to back them to edge this and pile on the misery for Newcastle.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Speaking to BBC Sport's Ben Croucher, former Premier League striker Jermaine Beckford says Alexander Isak will be able to reintegrate with the dressing room should the striker remain at Newcastle beyond the summer transfer window.

Image source, Getty Images

We have looked into the age profile of Newcastle's players for the 2025-26 season and recorded what percentage of minutes each of them played last campaign.

For the purpose of this exercise, we have deemed those under 24 as youth, between 24 and 30 as in their peak years and anyone over 30 to be a veteran.

The green represents new signings, who naturally did not play, red are those that have since left the club and yellow are all those that remain.

We can see youthful faces have joined the group, with the likes of Callum Wilson departing with all of his experience. How the younger faces adapt will be key, as will player availability. Key names were able to feature heavily last season - amassing over 50% of club minutes - and this is crucial. Take a look at Tottenham's chart and you can see countless significant names in the lower half of the chart given their lack of availability.

So can the Magpies keep people fit and healthy? And will youth remain the order of the day when it comes to transfers?

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on the likely signing of Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Nigel: A good fit. Dynamic, can score, energetic and positionally flexible. All the attributes Eddie Howe likes in a young player. He will gel well with our current first three midfielders and I do not see him as a step down if any of them are unable to play. Jacob will get plenty of playing time.

Wayne: Next level? Only if Newcastle's treatment room is on the first floor!

Herbert: I think that Ramsey will fit in well in that left midfielder spot. He can also move further up the pitch into a more advanced left-wing role, if Anthony Gordon is required to play more centrally.

Laurence: A great acquisition. Very athletic and skilful player that will fit in well with the way Eddie likes to play. I'm sure he'll develop further here too.

Chris: Another good signing in addition to Anthony Elanga and Aaron Ramsdale. Squad depth is still an issue, but if it weren't for all the failed signings and Alexander Isak noise, this wouldn't have been a bad window.

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

This did not feel like your typical first news conference of the season at Newcastle United's training ground.

Eddie Howe would usually expect to field questions on new signings, his ambitions for the season and, of course, the trip to Villa Park on the opening day.

But this 33-minute briefing was understandably dominated by a man who has not kicked a ball for the club since May: Alexander Isak.

Isak remains determined to join Liverpool, but Howe struck a delicate balance in his latest dealings with the media.

On one hand, Howe admitted the prospect of Isak still being at St James' Park next month was out of his hands. On the other, the Newcastle head coach did not rule out the prospect of the Swede being reintegrated.

What is clear is that Newcastle need another striker - regardless of what happens with Isak.

The prospect of winger Anthony Gordon having to lead the line against Aston Villa is a timely reminder of that.

For context, once you take Isak out of the equation, Gordon has been Newcastle's top scorer in the Premier League in the past three seasons with 18 goals.

No wonder Howe stressed on Friday that "everyone is going to have to step up and give more."

As well as finding solutions from within, Newcastle remain interested in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa as a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left the club last month.

There could be movement on that front after Brentford agreed a deal for Bournemouth forward Dango Ouattara.

Newcastle could certainly use some more firepower.

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Aston Villa (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• The summer has "flashed by" and it is "great to be back": "A lot has happened. We have been busy and lots of work has gone on behind the scenes, but I think we are ready for the challenge ahead."

• Everyone bar Joe Willock is fit for selection.

• New signing Malick Thiaw will be part of the squad: "It's never easy coming in right at the end of pre-season because a lot of our work is already done, but from the little bits I've seen I think we've signed a top-quality player."

• On Alexander Isak's situation: "It has been unchanged for a while and that will continue to be the case."

• Howe explained his "great relationship" with the striker: "There are so many different emotions that players go through and I always want to be there for them. We have enjoyed a great relationship - I don't think he would have done as well as he has without that. He wouldn't have done it without the supporters and the football club either - and he recognises that. This is a different moment, and we are working through that together."

• When questioned if he has asked Isak to play against Aston Villa, he replied: "I've said many times this summer that I would want him to play and train, of course I've also had those conversations with him. Those conversations need to remain private."

• Howe believes there is still a way back for the striker, but "discussions and talks would have to take place" to make it happen.

• He said Newcastle's attack "isn't ideal at the moment", but there's a "little bit of time" to work on that before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

• In the meantime, Howe is happy for Anthony Gordon to lead the line, however the club would like to sign a striker before the transfer window closes.

• The hunt for a centre-forward has been "really tight", but he believes there is still a goalscorer out there that can "fit the club's requirements".

• On whether Nick Pope or Aaron Ramsdale will play in goal: "I have an idea, but we will see. We have one training session left so there's always a chance something might change, but I have a good idea."

• An ongoing deal for Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey is unlikely to be completed in time for him to feature.

• He accepted transfers have been a "slow burner" for Newcastle United, but he explained his stance: "It's always about the quality of players over the quantity of players coming in - and I feel we have hit that. We are still active in the window and we would still love to add one or two. I don't think we need too much more."

• On facing Villa: "We have had some really good battles. They have had successes - we have had successes. It's going to be a really tight game."

• Howe added: "On the opening day, you take any kind of positive result. I just really want to see a team that is unified, cohesive and really hungry to win."

• He complimented Unai Emery's side: "Tactically excellent - their way of playing is ingrained and they always play with the same principles."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United are now on the verge of making as many first-team signings in the space of a week as they did in the opening couple of months of the window.

That is a statement worth repeating.

The Alexander Isak saga continues to rumble on, but the progress Newcastle have made in recent days serves as a huge boost for Eddie Howe following such a frustrating summer of knockbacks.

Newcastle completed a move for Malick Thiaw earlier this week and the club are now closing in on Jacob Ramsey.

Ramsey, like Thiaw, is a player Newcastle have admired for some time and you sense that the midfielder has all the ingredients - the age, the athleticism and the desire - to go to another level at St James' Park.

Ramsey will give Newcastle some added depth in the middle of the park following Sean Longstaff's departure and, crucially, the 24-year-old can plug in seamlessly, having already played in both the Premier League and, of course, the Champions League.

What do you make of the impending signing?

Tell us if Ramsey is the right fit

Image source, Getty Images

Former Premier League striker Glenn Murray says the Alexander Isak situation "is extremely derailing" for Newcastle players and "needs to come to an end sooner rather than later."

It has been the soap opera of the transfer window, but with the curtain raising on the Premier League this evening, there is no clarity on whether Isak will remain in at Newcastle or get his desired move.

Manager Eddie Howe has previously told BBC Sport's Ciaran Kelly the situation has not been "healthy" and has posed "a big challenge" for his squad to manage during pre-season.

"It will have affected some more than others," Murray told the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "Every footballer understands that you are an individual entity and you need to look after yourself first and foremost.

"Isak clearly thinks his time at the football club is up and he wants to win more trophies than just the League Cup.

"He doesn't want to just be part of the Premier League and Champions League but be within a chance of winning them.

"It's extremely derailing. But I am sure if he walked back into the dressing room ready to face Aston Villa, there would be 18 delighted players to see him back in black and white.

"I do understand why he wants to leave. He has delivered what he promised and I think Newcastle have delivered on what they promised him.

"There is no doubt that he will be leaving a football club that he has made better, but there does come a time in a player's career where they want to go for big trophies.

"Ultimately, that is his level. He has improved so much that he is the one that the big clubs want.

"This saga needs to come to an end sooner rather than later so that Newcastle can understand where they sit in the transfer market."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

A few months have passed since Newcastle's Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool.

After the game, a tearful Howe reflected on "the people that aren't with you" - including his late mum Anne.

She was a single parent who raised Howe and his siblings while holding down several jobs, and encouraged Howe to follow his dreams.

"She's still with me every day," he said. "It's a difficult one because you're not consciously thinking about her on a minute-by-minute basis or even a day-by-day basis to a degree.

"But I know that her spirit, her courage and her determination is with me in so many different ways in how I act and behave. I know she's willing me on from somewhere, and very proud. I just hope to do her justice in the way that I work.

"I feel I have a duty to protect her legacy by how I conduct myself in what I do. I'm very driven for more success. I'm very determined to do my best, which is all I can do, and hopefully that will be good enough."

Howe is also intent on making those closest to him proud after they followed him up from the south coast.

His wife Vicki and sons Harry, Rocky and Theo have certainly bought into life on Tyneside.

Howe said: "I asked my youngest to do something yesterday and his answer was: 'Howay dad!' I always have a little second glance and check their language.

"It's brilliant that they're fully immersed in the Newcastle way of life, the language, the way of thinking. It's such a great area with such positive, driven and motivated people. I'm very proud that they are going to be adopted Geordies."

Howe acknowledged his family are one of a small group of people who see the "down days" and said they were "very supportive".

"They know when to leave dad alone just for a few minutes and let him digest what has just happened," he said. "Sometimes they can be brutal with a joke that actually lifts the atmosphere. You take it in a light-hearted way because it's coming from such a good place.

"They are absolutely vital in enabling me to work and enjoy my life. They're part of it and I'm very proud of them."

Howe, undoubtedly, has had a challenging summer but remains determined to make this season another one to remember.

"If you can't be excited by what we have to come - the Champions League, all the competitions we are going to be in - there is something wrong," he said.

"If I wasn't excited, I'd be the wrong person in this chair."

Read Ciaran's full article on Howe