Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has confirmed Alexander Isak and Kieran Trippier were substituted due to injury in his side’s 2-1 victory over Brentford on Wednesday.
Isak scored Newcastle’s opening goal in first-half stoppage time but was withdrawn on 66 minutes with the score at 1-1 following Bryan Mbeumo’s equaliser. The 25-year-old seemingly pulled up moments before his withdrawal, but his movement looked untroubled when he was replaced by Callum Wilson.
”I don’t think he was feeling 100 per cent, that’s why we withdrew him,” Howe said. “He wasn’t feeling 100 per cent in his groin, I think, and in his movement, so that’s why we withdrew him.”
The Sweden international’s strike was his fifth goal in his last five matches for Newcastle and his 20th of the Premier League season (23 in all competitions).
Sandro Tonali scored the winner on 74 minutes, drilling home from a strike from a tight angle outside the box to see Newcastle rise to fifth in the table.
Kieran Trippier, meanwhile, was substituted in the 89th minute. “He said he was feeling a cramp sensation in his groin,” Howe said. “We hope it’s nothing serious. That’s the negative today.
“We hope it’s nothing serious because we can’t afford any injuries, we have such a small squad, as we saw with the bench today.”
Newcastle return to action on Monday, April 7 when they face Leicester City. Howe’s side are one point off fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand.
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