Newcastle United were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against 10-man Aston Villa on Saturday, with the absence of striker Alexander Isak proving decisive.
Villa’s Ezri Konsa was shown a red card in the 66th minute for bringing down Anthony Gordon, but Eddie Howe’s men failed to make their numerical advantage count.
Isak, who was left out of the squad amid transfer speculation linking him to Liverpool, was clearly missed as Newcastle United wasted several first-half chances. Gordon, deployed as a makeshift striker, and Anthony Elanga both tested Villa’s new goalkeeper, Marco Bizot, but were denied.
Despite registering an expected goals tally of 1.16 before halftime, the Magpies could not find a breakthrough. Villa, meanwhile, reorganized after the dismissal, with Boubacar Kamara dropping into defence to keep the visitors at bay.
Both sides left Villa Park with a share of the spoils, but the result underlined Newcastle’s attacking struggles without their talismanic forward as they prepare to face Liverpool next.
