Newcastle United will have been gutted to have lost Alexander Isak to a late injury when they visited Liverpool on Wednesday evening.
The Swedish centre-forward has been in sensational form for Newcastle this season, racking up 19 goals and five assists in 24 appearances. Isak is ranked at no.2 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world right now.
But Isak had to withdraw from the midweek clash at Anfield because of a groin injury, with Newcastle going on to fall to a 2-0 defeat to the league leaders in his absence.
Will Alexander Isak be available on Sunday for Newcastle?
Isak was not the only player absent for Newcastle in midweek, with Joelinton and Sven Botman also missing out.
Eddie Howe's side will now play host to Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup fifth round in Sunday's 1:45pm kick-off, because that's an entirely conventional and sensible time to start a game of football - and the Newcastle boss is hopeful the injured trio may be able to make a return.
As reported by the Shields Gazette, Howe said at his pre-match press conference of Botman and Joelinton's chances for the weekend: “It would be a massive boost, yeah.
"I think they'll be there or thereabouts for Sunday. It's difficult to say, they haven't trained with the team yet, but fingers crossed.”
Howe went on to explain that Newcastle had taken Isak out of the Liverpool game as they did not want to risk exacerbating the injury ahead of some other big games coming up - most especially next month's League Cup final.
He said: “We didn't want to take the risk, we've got too many big games to come ... We don't envisage it being a big problem for him."
Whether or not that means Isak will be risked in the FA Cup against Brighton remains to be seen.
Newcastle will have seven days off before they return to Premier League action away to West Ham on Monday March 10.
They will then take on Liverpool at Wembley with the Carabao Cup on the line. Newcastle have not won a major domestic trophy since 1955.
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