Eddie Howe insists that Newcastle United is not a “one-man team” and also believes that Alexander Isak will not be confronted with a long-term dismissal due to injury.
Isak missed the Loss of Newcastle for Premier League Liverpool on Wednesday on Wednesday and had sustained a lies injury in the run-up to that match.
The Swede is the top scorer of the club this season and has received 21 goals in all competitions, while his 19 goals in the Premier League means that he is third in the race for the Golden Boot.
“We recognize Alex [Isak’s] Strengths and its capacities, “said Howe for their FA Cup meeting with Brighton on Sunday.
“I don't think we are a one-man team. I will never classify ourselves in that bracket, but Alex brings unique qualities in that center-forward role, in that crucial middle role that we need.
“We have other ways of playing and the skills of other players to use. I thought there was a lot of good things in our performance against Liverpool, but we certainly didn't have enough pain in their box.”
It is a busy piece for Newcastle, which this weekend has their FA Cup fifth round draw against Brighton and the EFL Cup against Liverpool on March 16. They are also sixth in the Premier League, three points behind Manchester City in the fourth.
Isak had scored a brace against Nottingham Forest in the match prior to the loss of Liverpool and scored twice in each of the last three victories of Newcastle in the Premier League.
The attacker played only one minute this season in the FA Cup and comes to Birmingham City in the final round late, and Howe is not sure if he will be available to Brighton.
'I haven't seen him since the [Liverpool] Game, “said Eddie Howe about the fitness of Isak.
'We will see how he is [on Friday]. We don't think it's a long -term problem. No risk was taken on Wednesday and there is no possible with the phase of the season in which we are.
“There is always a risk with every player, but we would not take any risks on his fitness in the long term. We will see how he is and if he is fit, he will play.
“[However]I think it is pretty clear to me with Alex if he is fit in a game in the run -up to the EFL Cup final, then he will play, and we must have that mentality with all our players.
“You can't save players because they lose the rhythm. The best for a player to stay in good shape and stay fit is to play them and that is what we will try to do with all our players.”
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