FPL notes: Barnes boost as Gordon not “100% match-fit”, Howe on Isak

Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) blanked in Newcastle United’s ultimately routine 3-0 victory over 10-man Ipswich Town on Saturday.

It ended a run of six successive games in which he’s delivered at least one attacking return.

There was a post-match boost for the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers who own the winger outside of a Gameweek 34 Free Hit, however.

Picking the bones out of Ipswich’s relegation-sealing defeat on Tyneside, we begin this weekend’s Scout Notes.

• READ MORE: What Palace’s FA Cup semi win means for Gameweeks 36 + 37
• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 34 round-up: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats

GORDON NOT “100% MATCH-FIT”

After last week’s hammering at Villa Park, there had been some pre-game speculation about whether Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) would return to the Newcastle starting XI on Saturday.

In the end, Eddie Howe kept faith with his two in-form wingers, Barnes and Jacob Murphy (£5.3m).

Gordon was reduced to another substitute appearance, replacing Murphy for the fourth consecutive game.

Speaking after the match, Howe revealed that Gordon is still feeling some discomfort in his knee.

“I think Harvey has been outstanding since he got his opportunity in the team. I think he grabbed it with both hands and that’s all he can do.

“Anthony, I don’t think is still 100% match-fit. This week in training, he was still aware of some feeling in his knee, so we need to protect him and make sure that when we bring him back in the team that he is 100% fit.” – Eddie Howe

A potential boost for Barnes’ ongoing starting prospects, then, and maybe even Murphy’s minutes (as curtailed as they already are), given that he has been the one making way for Gordon recently.

Elsewhere on injury watch, Joelinton (£6.0m) missed out with a recurring knee issue and is set to see a specialist.

In better news, medium-term absentee Sven Botman (£4.4m) returned to action as a late substitute. He came on for Fabian Schar (£5.5m), who himself had been a minor concern for Gameweek 34.

“He is slightly ahead [of schedule] but he trained this week and trained really well, looked excellent. He’s looked after himself. He’s done everything right to try and come back as quickly as possible. He is a great professional and he’s also a big presence for us. We’ve missed him. It’s great to be able to bring him on the pitch in a game that maybe wouldn’t stress him as much as normal. It was a perfect reintroduction.” – Eddie Howe on Sven Botman

ISAK “NOT AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME”

It was a bit of an underwhelming afternoon for Barnes, Murphy and Alexander Isak (£9.6m). The latter two did at least return something as Murphy was fouled for Isak’s converted 45th-minute penalty.

Ipswich’s low block only got lower after Ben Johnson (£3.8m) was dismissed, with Barnes and Murphy reduced to efforts from distance. At least there should be fewer parked buses in the next three Gameweeks:

Isak again looked below his usual stratospheric levels, with his finishing wayward – as it has been in recent weeks – bar the penalty. Two slices from inside the Ipswich box were wild, while a close-range header sailed over. Barnes and Murphy were robbed of assists for those missed big chances.

Above: Good positions, just lacking the execution – Alexander Isak’s xG shotmap on Saturday

“I think, in part, Ipswich’s game plan would have been to stop Alex today. So I think the reducing of space [and] the low defensive line does limit his ability to bring his main strengths to the game. Of course, as a team, we still need to find a way to get him into the game and I felt we did and I felt he did. I felt he improved as the game went on.

“Is he at the absolute top of his game at the moment? Possibly not, but I think that’s the same with any player, there’ll be little peaks and troughs. The most important thing is, throughout the season, that he’s still contributing and scoring massive goals for us. We back him to rediscover that, we’re talking 1 or 2%, back into his game very quickly.” – Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak

TRIPPIER EXPLOITS IPSWICH’S SET-PIECE WOES

As discussed last week, Ipswich have got a real problem with set plays right now. All three of their goals conceded on Saturday were from dead-ball situations, including Isak’s penalty.

Kieran Trippier (£5.6m) took advantage of that, putting two crosses in that Dan Burn (£4.5m) and substitute William Osula (£4.9m) nodded home.

Perhaps towering centre-back Jake O’Brien (£4.5m) and Everton can exploit that weakness in Gameweek 35.

That’s three assists in as many Gameweeks for the veteran Trippier, who returns aside, has been excellent since his recall.

Above: Kieran Trippier is joint-top among defenders for chances created since his Gameweek 28 recall

Ipswich are down now, their inevitable relegation mathematically sealed. We’ve seen teams liberated by the drop in the past but the chasm in class might trump all that.

They were without arguably their best defender on Saturday, too, with Axel Tuanzebe (£3.8m) ruled out with a hamstring injury.

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