Isak gets one over Mitrovic in ‘battle of Alexs’ as Newcastle beat Fulham 1-0

NEWCASTLE: It was a tale of two Alexs at St. James’ Park as a pair of returning strikers made headlines for very different reasons.

Injury-plagued Alexander Isak proved Newcastle United’s Premier League match winner as he popped up off the bench to net a late winner and maintain the Magpies’ Champions League charge.

The Swede was thrown on with United chasing victory after suffering a near escape when Aleksandar Mitrovic, the former Magpies’ frontman, missed a bizarre penalty, having struck the ball twice when handed the chance to open the scoring from 12 yards.

The three points sees United leapfrog Manchester United back into the Premier League top three, and takes them within a point of second-placed Manchester City.

And while the points were welcomed everywhere from Tyneside to Riyadh, one moment in the game which could yet prove season-defining is the injury suffered by a teary Bruno Guimaraes, who turned his ankle.

A cagey opening half saw United frustrated largely, with Fulham showing just how they had climbed to the top seven of the Premier League following a mid-week defeat of city rivals, high-spending Chelsea.

Callum Wilson was the main threat to the goalless scoreline as he squandered a number of first half opportunities in an otherwise flat encounter in front of the TV cameras.

A header from a Kieran Trippier cross was nodded wide before Bernd Leno palmed a drive by the Newcastle No. 9 over the top after some smart work by man of the match Fabian Schar.

Wilson’s finish eluded him once again on the stroke of halftime as a smart turn was not flourished with his usual clinical strike, again allowing Germany’s Leno enough of a chance to deny.

The biggest thing about a rather less than eventful half was