sport news After making the Premier League's fastest-ever player look like a tugboat, ... trends now
Newcastle want to build their team around Alexander Isak, and one day they might just find Micky van de Ven buried amid the foundations.
The Premier League’s fastest-ever player was made to look like a tugboat by the home striker, whose speed of thought was too quick for the feet of the Tottenham defender, as rapid as they may be.
There was only one of that pair worthy of comparison to Usain Bolt here. For while Isak wore spikes, Van de Ven was in roller skates. Rio Ferdinand likened him to a Rolls Royce before kick-off. The Peckham-raised pundit could well have used a Robin Reliant post game.
The goal that set the ball rolling, and Van de Ven falling, saw Isak dash inside the Dutch centre-back before finishing past Guglielmo Vicario in the 31st minute. There is an image of the Spurs man in a literal spin, head on the floor as if break dancing.
Within 90 seconds he was back on that dance floor, but this was a black and white party. This time, Anthony Gordon chopped beyond Van de Ven - who slipped over, again - and the winger smashed through Vicario.
Alexander Isak ran riot at St James' Park as Newcastle breezed past Tottenham in a 4-0 victory
The Sweden international bagged a brace as he danced past the Spurs defence on Saturday
The 24-year-old striker's stock has continued to rise throughout the 2023-24 campaign
Come the 51st minute and Van de Ven was playing a line so high that Isak was onside by virtue of being in his own half. He duly ran clear to make it 3-0. At this point, it was hard to know if the Holland international was appealing for a flag or asking Ange Postecoglou to take him off.
It says much about the visitors that there were several candidates more deserving of the hook, and before the hour captain Son Heung-min was among a hapless trio headed for the dressing-room. No need for an early shower when you haven’t broken a sweat.
Saying that, Isak didn’t break a bead all afternoon. He may have the look of a long-distance runner, so lean and lithe limbed, but he moves like a sprinter out of the blocks. Most impressive of all, he does so with the ball at his feet. His display reflected that of his team - efficient, unforgiving and
