Liverpool and Arsenal beware: Newcastle are dark horses for the Premier League title with Thierry Henry-regen Alexander Isak leading remarkable resurgence

The 2023-24 campaign was a huge disappointment for Newcastle. Howe had guided the club back into the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, but his team crashed out in the group stage, and ended up finishing seventh in the Premier League. Because of Manchester United's miraculous FA Cup triumph, that wasn't quite enough for Newcastle to secure another year of European football.

There were no big summer signings to bring a feeling of optimism back to the St James' Park faithful either. Making Lewis Hall's loan move from Chelsea permanent was the only significant piece of business Howe conducted, and it was no surprise when Newcastle made such an underwhelming start to the new season.

But there were enough positive signs to keep the wolves from Howe's door. The Magpies recorded impressive home wins over Tottenham and Arsenal, while also battling to draws against Liverpool and Man City; it was just their away form that was preventing any real progress.

But with a few small tactical tweaks, Howe has fixed that dynamic, and Isak has been the biggest beneficiary.

Heading into a clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on October 27, Isak had just one Premier League goal to his name from six appearances, and seemed to be struggling for rhythm. But he found the target in the 2-1 defeat against the Blues, which seemed to snap him back into life.

That was the first of 14 goals he has scored in his last 13 league outings, and Isak was on the scoresheet for the eighth game in a row on Wednesday as he hit a brace in the 3-0 win over Wolves, breaking a club record he previously shared with Alan Shearer and Joe Willock.

Isak is now only three games away from equalling Jamie Vardy's historic 11-game scoring streak for Leicester City back in 2015, and only a fool would bet against him. On current form, the Sweden international has a strong case for the title of best centre-forward in Europe.

That's not just because of his prolific strike-rate either. Isak also set up Anthony Gordon to round off the scoring against Wolves, bringing his tally of assists to five this term, and his work off the ball has been essential to Newcastle's improvement as a collective.

"He is the complete striker," Newcastle legend Shearer said on BBC Match of the Day. "He is in red-hot form. No-one can stop him. He has got this belief and confidence and there is no doubt that he has the ability. He does his bit defensively, which he has to do in that Newcastle team. Everything about his game is great. He is just so tough to mark."

Isak scored 31 goals across his first two seasons at Newcastle, proving himself as a top Premier League marksman, but he's taken his game to even greater heights over the last three months. That's mainly because the Magpies are playing to his strengths by firing balls into the box far more frequently. Since the Chelsea game, nine of Isak's goals have come from crosses, while his strike in a 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest was generated from a corner.

Isak has a knack for timing runs into the box and his predatory instincts are second to none. Indeed, only one of his 15 Premier League goals this season have come outside the penalty area, his 20-yard screamer against Liverpool on December 5, and that's because Newcastle are exploiting the full width of the pitch. The likes of Gordon and Jacob Murphy are now looking to drive towards the byline and deliver crosses at every opportunity, knowing full well that Isak will be there to finish.

The Swede's powers of anticipation are superb, and at the towering height of six-foot-four, he's a match for any defender in the air. "Alex is a world-class talent. He has unique skills, and the challenge is to get him into the game as much as we can," Howe said after seeing Isak hit a hat-trick in Newcastle's 4-0 win at Ipswich last month. "Earlier in the season we weren't doing that, but now the team are performing much better."

Some teams have been able to limit Newcastle's effectiveness from the flanks, but Isak is talented and confident enough to create chances for himself in the tighter matches. He's got more to his game than a pure goal-scorer like Erling Haaland, who rarely gets involved in Man City's build-up play; Isak will drop deep or drift wide to get on the ball when he's being starved of service.

The former Real Sociedad star has remarkably quick feet for a big man, his link-up play is excellent, and it's impossible to knock him off the ball when he's in full flow. Isak's powerful yet elegant style of play has even seen him draw regular comparisons to another of the Premier League's greatest No.14s, Thierry Henry, and one of the Arsenal icon's former team-mates believes they are fully justified.

"He is comfortable everywhere on the pitch. The ability to rotate positions and occupy every role in a frontline is part of what makes him a constant threat. For me he is the closest thing we have seen to another Thierry Henry," ex-Arsenal winger Theo Walcott told BBC MOTD 2 in November. "Henry started out wide, so he knew that role very well, and Isak's pace and strength means he is excellent in those areas too. I would say he is this generation’s Henry."

Isak is by no means the only player shining at St James' Park right now, though. Gordon is starting to fulfil his immense potential after adding end product to his game, while long-time Newcastle servant Murphy has exceeded all expectations on the right wing.

At the other end of the pitch, Fabian Schar and Dan Burn formed a rock-solid partnership that provided the foundation for Newcastle's revival, before an injury cut down the former, while Tino Livramento and Hall have both broken into the England squad as a result of their stellar performances at full-back.

However, the biggest reason for Newcastle's recent success is their improvement in midfield. Sandro Tonali started the season in a traditional No.8 role after returning from a 10-month betting ban, with Joelinton on the other side and Bruno Guimaraes sitting in front of the defence, but the Italian struggled to make any impact.

Howe made the shrewd decision to swap Tonali and Guimaraes around for the home game against Leicester on December 14, and Newcastle romped to a 4-0 win. They have been striking the perfect balance in the middle of the park ever since, with Tonali's technical brilliance and defensive tenacity shining through.

The former AC Milan playmaker is a master at breaking up play and circulating the ball quickly; he's now the one making Newcastle tick, while Guimaraes has excelled playing higher up the pitch. Howe's side have been winning the midfield battle week in, week out, and that's the hallmark of an elite team.

There is a very good chance that Newcastle's winning run will continue though to the start of February at least, with favourable games against Bournemouth, Southampton and Fulham up next, and maximum points could potentially see them leapfrog second-placed Arsenal. Howe's troops are nine points behind leaders Liverpool having played a game more, but the Reds have drawn their last two, and Newcastle are powering through all-comers like a freight train.

When asked if the gap is insurmountable, Shearer replied in his latest Match of the Day appearance: "No it’s not. The form they’re in, the way they’re looking – defensively solid, clean sheets. Midfield – there’s no doubt they’ve got the system going, and with [Alexander Isak] up front, they’ve got a chance." He's absolutely right, Newcastle are the definition of dark horses, especially since they have no European football to distract them.

There are no weaknesses in Howe's starting XI, and in Isak he has the most potent weapon in the Premier League. It has been reported that the club now value Isak at £150 million ($184m), with Arsenal reportedly set to test Newcastle's resolve in the summer, but Shearer believes the 25-year-old should be completely off limits regardless of any potential offers.

"Who are they gonna go out and get that would come into Newcastle and do a similar job? We know that centre-forward is the most important position," he said on the Rest is Football podcast. "They are really difficult to find so when you’ve got a bloody good one, why do you want to let him go for any price?"

The St James' Park boardroom team would do well to heed that warning. Isak is doing a flawless job of spearheading a Newcastle team that could very well challenge for the biggest trophies come May, and in the years to come.