Newcastle United record signing draws comparisons to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry

NEWCASTLE: Since the day he arrived at Newcastle United, Alexander Isak’s slender frame, running style and electric turn of pace have led fans to draw comparisons between the club’s record signing and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry — one of the Premier League’s greatest ever forwards.

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has always steered away from putting that kind of pressure on the young Swedish striker’s shoulders. Well, until now. Isak has given Howe little choice, with the public evidence there for all to see.

As the former Borussia Dortmund and Real Sociedad man picked the ball up on the halfway line with the score at 3-1 against Everton on Thursday, few could have predicted the footballing magic they were about to witness.

The affable frontman beat a helpless Ben Godfrey not once but twice, before twisting and turning Michael Keane and Idrissa Gana Gueye in knots with hip swivels and dips of the shoulder, the ball stuck to his right instep as if attached by an invisible cord. Isak then showed pace and guile aplenty to beat Godrey again, just for good measure, before poking the ball past England keeper Jordan Pickford to teammate Jacob Murphy, who had the easiest of finishes.

While Murphy wheeled away in delight at netting his fourth goal of the season for his boyhood club, the rest of the Newcastle pack headed to Isak, their eyes fixed, jaws wide and arms outstretched. They all knew what they’d just seen — and it was something right out of the Henry playbook.

Pundits and experts flocked to show their admiration. Former Newcastle hero John Anderson, a fiesty Dubliner who does commentary for local BBC Radio screamed and burst into joyous laughter in the rows behind Arab News’ own correspondent at Goodison Park.