Once a week (usually) for an hour during the Premier League season, The Athletic’s Newcastle United subscribers can ask our writers covering the club for views and insight into what’s happening at St James’ Park.

A family have been given prison sentences after being found guilty of burgling several properties - including the home of Alexander Isak.

The four Italian burglars had travelled to the UK last year and in April 2024 came to the region and targeted three homes, including that of Alexander Isak. Before targeting Isak’s home, they had carried out surveillance near Newcastle United’s training ground for two days.

For weeks, the Newcastle United head coach has told anyone who would listen that nothing will be decided until the final day, that the skirmish for a Champions League place would go down to the wire.

Isak’s wage demands will not be for the faint-hearted. He wants to be paid as much as he could earn elsewhere, which means Newcastle will need to push well above the £200,000-a-week mark. It will need a new wage structure and a ceiling being broken, but when you consider how important he is, the money must be found.

If Newcastle's influential Swede Alexander Isak had been fit, it might have been different - but now their Champions League hopes are in real danger.

Liverpool could yet try tempt Newcastle with a firm offer for Alexander Isak - and new comments made by Eddie Howe may genuinely concern Magpies supporters.

Newcastle could leapfrog Arsenal in the Premier League table with victory at the Emirates on Sunday - and secure their top five spot