The Premier League have confirmed their live TV picks for October, with one Newcastle game rescheduled:

Sun 05.10.2025 Nottingham Forest (h) 2pm Sky
Sat 18.10.2025 Brighton (a) 3pm no live UK TV
Sat 25.10.2025 Fulham (h) 3pm  no live UK TV

The publication of a statement by Alexander Isak on Tuesday prompted the following response from NUFC:

"We are disappointed to have been alerted to a social media post by Alexander Isak this evening. We are clear in response that Alex remains under contract and that no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer.

"We want to keep our best players, but we also understand players have their own wishes and we listen to their views. As explained to Alex and his representatives, we must always take into consideration the best interests of Newcastle United, the team and our supporters in all decisions and we have been clear that the conditions of a sale this summer have not transpired. We do not foresee those conditions being met.

"This is a proud football club with proud traditions and we strive to retain our family feel. Alex remains part of our family and will be welcomed back when he is ready to rejoin his teammates."

The conditions of a sale have been interpreted variously as the claimed selling price and/or the acquisition of striking replacements.

For the latter to be as problematic due in part to Liverpool's decision to sign Hugo Ekitike remains inexplicable.

Statement from Alexander Isak on instagram, following his failure to attend Tuesday's PFA awards ceremony in Manchester:

"I'm proud to be recognised by my fellow professionals with a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for 2024/25.

"First and foremost I want to thank my teammates and everyone at Newcastle United who has supported me along the way.

"I'm not at the ceremony tonight. With everything going on, it didn't feel right to be there.

"I've kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken. That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn't reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.

"The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.

"When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can't continue. That's where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”

Alexander Isak

Our musings:

It's nice of the player to pipe up after his summertime disappearing act, having allowed others to do his work during the last month or so.

Whatever faint hopes of a temporary reconciliation would certainly now appear to be over - there's no patching this one up. That of course is the intention - arriving at the same point as submitting a transfer request, but without the financial jeopardy of doing that. Perish the thought.

What those promises were, who made them and when they were made will now prompt a further avalanche of media coverage to obscure the inconvenient fact that nothing was written down and there is no release clause.

If we're talking about statements, one in the form of an acceptable bid from a certain club would be a start - but doubtless they'll be keeping well clear until the dust settles after this latest development.

Rafa Benitez is fond of saying that "football is a lie", but the pursuit of truth in this unsavoury situation is becoming less important than solving the conundrum of replacing Isak.

PS: On July 24th, when Isak told Newcastle he wanted to "explore a move away from the club" we wrote that:

The message is clear: a concerted campaign from the North West involving briefings to sympathetic media outlets has succeeded in unsettling the player and encouraged his representatives. 

This latest development will doubtless prompt a backlash against Isak from disgruntled Newcastle fans, which will then be advanced as a reason for his inevitable exit.

The circus moves on to Gallowgate next Monday, with Sky on hand to record every chant and shout. And so it goes.

Michael Owen quotes on Isak, Wednesday - a mixture of justifiable comments and the inevitable pro-Anfield bluster:

"It’s been really fascinating watching it unfold. Isak stayed very quiet and, despite everybody talking like he’s done 100 statements, that’s the first thing he’s said.

"It’s nice for the public to have everything clarified. It’s interesting that he makes out that they’ve already had talks a long time ago about him potentially leaving, he feels that they’ve gone back on their word.

"He’s given them a great service, they’ve qualified for the Champions League, won a trophy, but he wants out.

"I get it from a footballer’s point of view, you only get one short career, you want to play for the best teams, and this might be his one big chance to do so, but obviously Newcastle hold the aces, they’ve got him under contract.

"Sadly, if you’re going to force a move, then it’s not pretty, the actions that a player takes can’t be pretty, and that’s what we’re seeing.

"Whether he puts in a transfer request or is refusing to play, which is obviously the end of the scale, there’s not much worse you can do than that, to refuse to come in.

"He’s doing everything he can to force that dream move and I hear it, I understand it but I don’t necessarily agree with it, but I also don’t sit here and say that no other footballer would do that, of course they would.

"There’s loads of pundits out there that are up in arms about what’s happening but I can guarantee that they’d be doing the same.

"This is one short career, it’s not like he came through the ranks, it’s not like he’s a born and bred Geordie, he is basically trying to be as good a player as he can be in a short career and if that means forcing a move to probably the best team in the world then I get why he’s doing it.

"I just look at the alternative, and nobody says a word nine times out of ten when clubs force a player out against their will, the reality is that happens all the time, the clubs do all the dirty stuff."

Newcastle kick off their home Premier League campaign by receiving the reigning champions for an 8pm kick-off on Monday.

It's an 8pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports and sold out.

Following the Carabao Cup Final success in March, United are seeking back to back wins against the Reds for the first time since November 1995, when a 2-1 PL home victory was swiftly followed by 1-0 League Cup away win. 

However the Magpies haven't beaten Liverpool in the PL since December 2015, when they prevailed 2-0 at SJP. 

Since then, the 17 league meetings have resulted in five draws and 12 losses.

Team: Joe Willock remains out but Saturday's draw away to Aston Villa brought no new injuries to light.

Recent recruits Malick Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale and Park Seung-soo were on the bench at Villa Park, with Jacob Ramsey's move to Tyneside confirmed since then. 

LFC: To follow

The Reds began their title defence with a 4-2 home victory over Bournemouth on Friday night.

Referee: Simon Hooper - the Wiltshire whistler began his PL season by taking charge of Arsenal's 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Hooper's most recent appointment to a Newcastle game was our 0-1 reverse at Arsenal back in May. His last sighting at SJP was the 2-0 Carabao Cup second leg success against the Gunners: this will be his first PL appearance at Gallowgate since the 4-1 home win over Chelsea in November 2023.
 
VAR: John Brooks

UK TV: Live on Sky Sports

City centre bars with live TV coverage include:

The Dog & Parrot on Clayton Street West.
Frate in the Bigg Market.
Pumphreys in the Bigg Market.

The game will be live at WonderBar in The Gate, with DJ Mad Mick on stage.

Overseas TV: to follow

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National League side FC Halifax Town have completed the permanent signing of former Magpie Jay Turner-Cooke.

The 21 year-old attacking midfielder has been without a club since ending his four and a half year association with United in the summer.

Turner-Cooke faced the Shaymen in last season's National League Cup and is set for a reunion with the Magpies when the two sides meet in the same competition.

He's the latest player released by United at the end of last season to find a new club; fellow midfielder Ellis Stanton joining National League North side Darlington last week.

We've partnered with Pitch Publishing, a sports book publisher with an already extensive range of NUFC related titles and several more due for release later in 2025.

Now available "The Battle for Newcastle United" is journalist Andrew Nagy's first book - an autobiographical account of a lifetime following Newcastle United.

He recounts his story via a 27 game selection, starting with the teenage optimism of the 1992 home win over Bristol City that began Kevin Keegan's second spell and ending with the Champions League humbling of PSG on Tyneside in 2023. 

Without giving the game(s) away, Andrew's choices are memorable - but not always for positive reasons. A cast of heroes and villains appear; Ned Kelly and Sir Les are in there alongside JFK, the FCB and the bloke who liked bacon.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy, we asked you to predict the full time score in Newcastle's Premier League opener at Aston Villa - and six of you did just that.

That required a random draw, which saw Graham Bland and Jonathan Renney crowned as our champions.

Check out the Pitch catalogue here and find offers on current and future NUFC titles on Amazon here

PS: Andrew Nagy is signing his books at Waterstones in Newcastle from 1pm this coming Saturday, August 23rd.

U21s:
Saints succeed

Newcastle U21s  1  Southampton U21s  2

Following his move from the Chronicle to the BBC, journalist Ciaran Kelly has been speaking to the Newcastle manager about the coming season online here

Buy 2025/26 season kits online here from JD Sports.

Meltdown:
Isak timeline

Sun 04.05 Isak scored his 54th Premier League goal (62nd in all competitions) for Newcastle - a penalty in a 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Sun 18.05 Isak missed the 0-1 Premier League loss at Arsenal, Howe told the media that he'd had a scan on a groin problem and rest rather than surgery was forecast.

Sun 25.05 Isak played the entirety of a 0-1 Premier loss at home to Everton, Newcastle's season-ending fixture.

Tue 27.05 Isak withdrew from Sweden's squad for two games in June due to a minor injury, presumably groin.

Mon 14.07 Isak was part of the Newcastle party that flew to Austria for a week-long training camp.

Tue 15.07 The Athletic reported that Liverpool had made it know they were prepared to pay £120m for Isak.

Sat 19.07 Isak was absent as Newcastle faced Celtic; Eddie Howe told the media that he'd allowed him to leave the squad as he needed "more training time" but that he expected him to join the club's upcoming tour of Asia.

Mon 21.07 Isak trained away from the rest of the squad at Darsley Park but reportedly cut short the session.

(some sources claim this may have been on 22.07)

Tue 22.07 Newcastle reportedly switched targets to Brentford's Yoane Wissa, to augment (or replace) Isak.

Wed 23.07 Liverpool completed the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, a player Newcastle had attempted to sign to augment (or replace) Isak.

Thu 24.07 Isak wasn't on the plane to Singapore and multiple media outlets reported he'd "told Newcastle he wants to explore a move away from the club".

The Times wrote that Isak refused to accept improved terms and an extension to his current Newcastle contract, allegedly seeking £300k per week - an amount the club wouldn't be able to meet given their financial status.

Fri 25.07 The Guardian wrote that Isak had been offered a basic weekly wage of £600K by Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Sat 26.07 Howe met the media in Singapore and had no update on Isak's thigh injury but called it minimal and was still confident that he would remain a Newcastle player. 

Sun 27.07 Newcastle lost 2-3 to Arsenal, Howe telling reporters there was "no chance" Isak would be in Korea. 

Mon 28.07 Newcastle arrived in Korea without Isak.

Tue 29.07 Howe told the media that no bid had been received for Isak and he remained a Magpie.

Wed 30.07 Spanish media claims Isak is training alone in San Sebastian.

Fri 01.08 Liverpool bid claimed to be £120m rejected.

Mon 04.08 Isak returns to Darsley Park but is made to train separately from the rest of the senior squad.

Fri 08.08 Omitted from the squad for a home friendly against Espanyol, Howe told the media Isak was fit but made him unavailable for selection. No disciplinary action had been taken against him that he was aware of.

Sat 16.08 Isak wasn't involved in the Premier League season opener at Aston Villa, with travelling supporters airing "one greedy bastard" chants after full time.

Tue 19.08 Isak released a statement explaining his absence from the PFA awards ceremony, which included this:

"The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading." 

Tue 19.08 NUFC released their own statement.

Old boys:
Comings & goings 

PL era first team Magpies on the move recently:

Tom Allan Darlington
Jean-Alain Boumsong Auxerre C
Andy Carroll Dagenham & Redbridge
Luuk De Jong Porto
Martin Dubravka Burnley
Stuart Findlay Hearts
Massadio Haidara Kocealispor
Grant Hanley Hibernian
Matty Longstaff Montreal
Sean Longstaff Leeds United
Salomon Rondon Real Oviedo (loan)
Nolberto Solano Pakistan C
Allan Saint-Maximin Club America
Ki Sung-yeung Pohang Steelers
Florian Thauvin RC Lens
Andros Townsend Kanchanabori Power
Freddie Woodman Liverpool
Callum Wilson West Ham
Mike Williamson Rangers C

PL era first team Magpies clubless but not retired tbc:

Rolando Aarons
Mehdi Abeid
Hatem Ben Arfa
Ciaran Clark
Paul Dummett
Isaac Hayden
Jeff Hendrick
Kazenga LuaLua
Jamal Lewis
Chancel Mbemba
Jonjo Shelvey