FPL notes: ‘Ill’ Isak, Howe on centre-backs + Odegaard absence

It’s time for the Scout Notes from two more Gameweek 23 matches: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Arsenal and Southampton 1-3 Newcastle United.

• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 23 round-up: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Calvert-Lewin injury, Ndiaye on pens + Pickford ‘assist’
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Szoboszlai’s shots, Gakpo’s goals + Trent’s threat
• EXPLORE: All the Opta player and team stats from Wolves 0-1 Arsenal
• EXPLORE: All the Opta player and team stats from Southampton 1-3 Newcastle

‘ILL’ ISAK BACK ON THE GOAL TRAIL

A brace for Alexander Isak (£9.5m) took him to 17 goals for the season, two behind Mohamed Salah (£13.7m) in the Golden Boot race.

After all the pre-game hullabaloo about a potential illness, the Swedish striker started and lasted 79 minutes. It turns out, however, that Isak was ill this week.

“A couple of players slightly under the weather coming into the game, as well. Alex wasn’t feeling 100%, Bruno wasn’t feeling 100%. So with all those things added together, I think a great win.” – Eddie Howe

After Isak’s penalty cancelled out Jan Bednarek‘s (£4.0m) shock opener, the in-form forward and Sandro Tonali (£5.5m) took the game beyond the Saints. Both finished after fine through-balls from Jacob Murphy (£5.1m) and Anthony Gordon (£7.7m).

Isak had two other efforts well saved, while Murphy hit the post, Joelinton (£6.0m) saw a goalbound shot blocked and a threatening Lewis Hall (£5.1m) had a very decent penalty shout turned away.

Is all well in the Newcastle garden, then, after last week’s humiliation by Bournemouth? In truth, beating a wretched Southampton tells us very little about any team. A true test will be Fulham in Gameweek 24, with the Cottagers carrying the same banana-skin potential as the Cherries.

HOWE ON HIS CENTRE-BACKS

Eddie Howe’s only starting XI change saw Fabian Schar (£5.4m) come back in for Sven Botman (£4.4m).

The Newcastle boss explained his ongoing dilemma at centre-half after full-time.

“Very tough, I’m not going to lie. That was one of the toughest calls that I’ve had this season because our love for Sven is so high but I think taking everything into account, he’s just back from a long-term injury. This isn’t a negative for him, it’s very much a positive that he can continue to build his sharpness and fitness while not in the spotlight of playing.

“That doesn’t mean that he’s not ready to play because he’s got a very valuable part to play. He’ll also put pressure on the ones that are, which is hugely important, but I thought Fabian came back into the team today and did very well.” – Eddie Howe on his centre-back dilemma

Nick Pope (£4.9m) was back in the squad after recovering from a month-long injury. Martin Dubravka (£4.3m) deservedly kept his place, however, making a couple of smart stops.

OLIVER’S BARMY

Arsenal overcame more adversity in the shape of yet another red card to get back on the winning trail.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (£4.5m) was dismissed for serious foul play just before half-time in a decision from Michael Oliver that might be politely described as ‘polarising’. The referee later squared the numbers by dismissing Joao Gomes (£4.9m) for two bookable offences.

Arsenal will, surely, appeal their latest red card (Mikel Arteta said afterwards that the club might not even need to), otherwise Lewis-Skelly will sit out Gameweeks 24 and 25.

ARSENAL GRIND OUT A WIN

Oliver’s decision, in fact, seemed to galvanize Arsenal. The game had been drifting until then, with the Gunners largely in control but not creating tonnes of chances. It was 1-5 in shots at the point of Lewis-Skelly’s 43rd-minute dismissal.

Wolves had 27 minutes (plus first-half injury time) with an extra man but seldom looked like scoring during it. Their best chances, an early Pablo Sarabia (£5.0m) volley and a late Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.7m) breakaway shot, came when there wasn’t a numerical advantage. Matheus Cunha (£6.9m) had more attempts (four) than anyone on show but only one of which, a snapshot from a corner that crept wide, was from inside the area.

Above: Wolves’ shotmap in Gameweek 23

Arsenal did find the net: substitute Riccardo Calafiori (£5.8m) coming on to lash home a loose ball.

Kai Havertz (£7.8m) had three very good headed chances throughout the game, too, and should have made it four goals in five matches.

“I’m extremely proud of all the players. You can talk about our courage, you can talk about the spirit, but as well about intelligence. The way they managed emotionally the game, it was unbelievable. And especially with what we have to face and how they felt about it. All of them, just face the situation, the challenge.” – Mikel Arteta

All in all, then, a day when Arteta can rightly hail “courage” and “spirit”, even it does mask the fact that bar two Havertz headers, they hadn’t really tested an out-of-form Wolves defence before Lewis-Skelly’s red. The Gunners remain in the bottom half for open-play xG in 2024/25.

ODEGAARD + STRAND LARSEN LATEST

At least there was joy for owners of Arsenal defenders, which there hasn’t been much of recently. William Saliba (£6.2m) made an unexpectedly quick recovery to mop up all three bonus points along with a clean sheet.

The Gunners may have recovered Saliba but they lost Martin Odegaard (£8.2m) and Mikel Merino (£6.0m) before the game. Odegaard’s issue at least was only illness, so you’d expect him back in Gameweek 24.

“Martin was ill this morning and we had to send him back – he was nowhere near fit to play. Mikel as well, because he got a knock and couldn’t make it yesterday for training.”

Mikel Arteta on today’s absences. pic.twitter.com/dtpOChDhYW

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 25, 2025

Wolves meanwhile lost Jorgen Strand Larsen (£5.3m) to an early muscle injury, with substitute Hwang Hee-chan (£6.1m) going up front.

“I hope that the injury… I think it is not a serious injury because you know this is another position that we have problems. Hwang Hee-chan is the only [other] player that can play there as a striker. Okay, Cunha maybe, Cunha can play there but Cunha is not a striker.” – Vitor Pereira