A damaging weekend for some Fantasy managers got even worse on Sunday.
Some costly injuries and suspensions were picked up either before or during Brighton and Hove Albion’s win over Newcastle United.
And concerns linger about Alexander Isak‘s (£9.4m) fitness, despite the striker returning to action in the FA Cup fifth-round tie on Tyneside.
Here are our latest Scout Notes.
SUNDAY’S RESULT
| Goals | Assists | |
|---|---|---|
| Newcastle United 1-2 Brighton and Hove Albion | Isak pen | Minteh, Welbeck | Livramento | Pedro, March |
TEAM SELECTION/ROTATION
| Starting XI changes from Gameweek 27 | Players who kept their place (mins) | Other mins for selected players | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle United | 6 | Livramento (120), Schar (120), Burn (120), Tonali (120), Gordon (83) | Dubravka (120), Isak (86), Trippier (69), Willock (64), Guimaraes (64), Murphy (64), Miley (56), Joelinton (56), Barnes (56), Wilson (34) |
| Brighton and Hove Albion | 1 | Verbruggen (120), van Hecke (120), Webster (120), Pedro (120), Lamptey (90), Mitoma (90), Estupinan (80), Rutter (80), Baleba (69), Minteh (69) | Hinshelwood (120), Gomez (51), Gruda (51), Welbeck (40), March (30) |
ISAK LATEST
After missing out in Gameweek 27 with groin discomfort, Isak was back in Newcastle’s starting XI on Sunday.
The Swede netted from the penalty spot after having uncharacteristically missed two great chances in quick succession earlier. A second goal was ruled out for offside in what was a bright start from the 56%-owned forward. He certainly didn’t seem impeded by any injury early on.
That 22nd-minute spot-kick was however Isak’s fourth and final (legitimate) shot of the game, with the Albion defence marshalling him well after that.
Perhaps, as Howe suggested after, Isak ran out of puff. With the game finely poised at 1-1, Isak was surprisingly taken off after 86 minutes. The striker was on the turf before his withdrawal, walking gingerly from the field of play.
“Fatigue” and “tightness” were mentioned by Howe after the game, although there were enough “I thinks” to leave a little bit of concern ahead of Gameweek 28.
“I think a little bit of fatigue for Alex, I think he worked incredibly hard for us. So yeah, I think hopefully no injury, just a bit of fatigue and he’ll be fine.” – Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak, to NUFC TV
“I think he was feeling a tightness in his body but I don’t think necessarily an injury. If he was fit, he was always going to play today. It’s such a big game. But of course, the longer the game went on, the more at risk any player becomes. So hopefully he was off the pitch before there were any problems.” – Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak, to BBC Radio 5
GORDON TO MISS EFL CUP FINAL – AND TWO GAMEWEEKS
Newcastle will, barring a successful appeal, be without another member of their regular front three against West Ham United next Monday.
Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) was shown a straight red card for lashing out at Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.5m), earning him a three-match ban.
Anthony Gordon's sending off yesterday 🟥
Harsh or fair❓
Comment below 👇 pic.twitter.com/CXyf83ieKa
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 3, 2025
For Newcastle fans, the big blow is losing him for the EFL Cup final. In FPL terms, he’ll miss Gameweeks 28 and 30 on either side of that trip to Wembley.
At least the winger will be back for Double Gameweek 32.
Harvey Barnes (£5.9m) might get his chance in the next two Gameweeks, then, but showed little here to merit it.
Brighton meanwhile lost Tariq Lamptey (£4.4m) to an injury-time red card. The full-back was dismissed for two bookable offences so will serve a one-match ban in Gameweek 28.
HALL, BOTMAN, TRIPPIER + MITOMA INJURY UPDATES
The concerns for the Magpies don’t end there.
Lewis Hall (£5.0m), another semi-popular pick in FPL, missed Sunday’s cup clash with an ankle injury. Specialist feedback is being sought.
“We don’t know, we’re waiting to see. He completed the Liverpool game, had a little bit of pain towards the end of the game, didn’t recover great [and] had a bit of swelling in there. So [he] went to have a scan and then onto the specialist so we’re awaiting that feedback.” – Eddie Howe on Lewis Hall, to NUFC TV
Kieran Trippier (£5.6m) came off with a back issue, while Tino Livramento (£4.5m) was visibly toiling in the closing stages. Howe said Newcastle were effectively playing with “nine men” because of Livramento’s extra-time struggles.
Howe said he also “couldn’t get” Sven Botman (£4.4m) fit for this cup tie. Joelinton (£6.0m) did recover to play 56 minutes, however.
“He was close. We did some light training with him yesterday to see if he could be in contention for the game but he still felt the same problem. I wouldn’t say it’s a setback as such but it was too early for him.” – Eddie Howe on Sven Botman, to BBC Radio Newcastle
Newcastle weren’t alone in suffering an injury scare.
The in-form Kaoru Mitoma (£6.5m) came off after 90 minutes with a knee injury, with assessment to follow.
“We have to wait for the scan and then I can say more about that. But hopefully it’s not that bad. Let’s wait.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Kauro Mitoma, quoted by the New York Times
WELBECK MAKES HIS MARK AGAIN
Injuries and suspensions aside, this eventually turned out to be quite an entertaining clash at St James’ Park.
Newcastle started the stronger of the two, with Yankuba Minteh‘s (£5.0m) 44th-minute leveller shaking Brighton from their slumber.
We witnessed 36 shots in all over the 120 minutes. Joao Pedro (£5.4m) saw a good chance saved by Martin Dubravka (£4.3m), having earlier assisted Minteh. Joe Willock (£4.7m) should have nodded Newcastle in front, too, while Fabian Schar (£5.4m) had a goal chalked off by the VAR.
Brighton ended up chalking up their fifth successive win in all competitions thanks to Danny Welbeck (£5.5m). Repeating his trick from Gameweek 27, the veteran striker emerged as a substitute to score a fine winner. Solly March (£6.5m) – remember him? – supplied a fine assist.
In the past few weeks, we’ve seen Georginio Rutter (£5.1m) and Welbeck impress as a two up top. Then, after Welbeck’s injury, it was Rutter and Pedro working well in tandem. On Sunday, we were back to the old combo of Pedro and Welbeck from the 80th minute, with the quiet Rutter making way.
It’s a welcome selection headache for Hurzeler to chew over heading into Gameweek 28.
