Howe’s Cunning Plan: Groin Anxiety Buster …

Eddie Howe, the master tactician, has announced that his Swedish goal machine, Alexander Isak, has been cleared for action against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final. After a turbulent period with a groin that seemed as unpredictable as British weather, Isak is all set to make his grand return. Having taken a break during the Premier League game at Anfield, he left fans squirming with worry. But he’s back, and hopefully, not just for a quick wave and a limp.

Caught in the perpetual fitness tango, Howe shrugged off any notion of benching Isak for their duel with the Hammers. “He’s trained all week,” Howe quipped with relief, “and what better way to toughen him up than to chuck him back into the mixer?”

With the club dealing with a doorman-length injury list, including Lewis Hall and Sven Botman, Isak’s availability is like discovering an extra slice of cake when you thought it was finished. The mysterious ‘tightness’ seems to have unclenched, much to the amusement and bemusement of Newcastle’s faithful. So here’s hoping Isak will not just pirouette through the matches but do a cha-cha past Liverpool’s defense!