Alexander Isak repaying Eddie Howe's faith as Newcastle target strong finish

Alexander Isak was back on the pitch at St James' Park last week, posing languidly alongside a Formula-E car as cameras whirred and a commercial film shoot began. Isak does languid very well, but that was not why Saudia, the national airline of Saudi Arabia and a key sponsor of both Newcastle United and Formula-E, decided the club's Sweden striker was the right choice to drape his rangy limbs over a cutting edge, all electric, racing car. After becoming the first Newcastle forward since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 to score more than 20 goals in all competitions in a top-flight campaign, the 24-year-old is hot property. Earlier this month, Tottenham's Micky van de Ven arrived on Tyneside trailing a reputation as the Premier League's quickest defender but the talented Dutchman was twice left on his backside as Isak demonstrated startling powers of acceleration from standing starts.