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Alan Shearer says he was “very worried” after Alexander Isak missed Newcastle’s Premier League fixture against Liverpool through injury, but insists the striker will be fit for the Carabao Cup final clash with the Reds.
Eddie Howe's side got a taste of the colossal task they'll face at Wembley in just over two weeks' time when they took on Premier League frontrunners Liverpool on Wednesday.
The glaring omission from the Newcastle line-up was talisman Isak, who travelled with the team to Liverpool but pulled out of the matchday squad due to a groin issue.
But ahead of their rematch with Liverpool at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, March 16, club hero Shearer insists the Swede – who has been Newcastle’s top scorer and most pivotal player this season – will be back as they try to seal their first major domestic trophy since 1955.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer explained: “As soon as I saw the team and I saw no Isak, I thought ‘oh’.
“If there’s even a 2% doubt about someone then I guess he’s just going to leave them out in preparation for the final and I don’t blame him for that.”
Eddie Howe confirmed the groin injury in his post-match interview, saying: “It goes without saying how important he [Isak] is to us and I think you could see that today, I thought we missed him.
“It was late around midday today.
We have so many big games to come.”
Before the final, Newcastle will first prepare for their FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Brighton on Sunday before a Premier League trip to West Ham on Monday, March 10 where they will look to keep their top-four hopes alive.
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