15 hours ago
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Alan Shearer was quick to shut down Micah Richards after the pundit claimed Newcastle had disrupted summer target Jorgen Strand Larsen in similar fashion to how Liverpool approached Alexander Isak.
The duo joined forces with Gary Lineker for the most recent instalment of The Rest Is Football, analyzing all the midweek Carabao Cup action. As the show progressed, they shifted their focus to Chelsea's encounter with Wolves, where Enzo Maresca's players ultimately prevailed 4-3 to book their spot in the quarterfinals.
It wasn't long before Strand Larsen's name emerged via Shearer, given Wolves' dire form this season. The West Midlands team languishes at the foot of the Premier League table without a single win from its opening nine fixtures.
Shearer began: "I don't suspect this Strand Larsen thing helped either - when it was touch and go and Newcastle were coming in," before Richards interrupted him, stating: "Newcastle... You're talking about Liverpool unsettling Isak, you unsettled Strand Larsen."
But never one to take criticism lying down, Shearer responded with a straight face: "I never mentioned that at all, you brought that up," before erupting into laughter.
Richards then hit back with thick sarcasm: "It's alright when it works in your favor, isn't it?"
Following his 14-goal tally in the Premier League last season, Strand Larsen found himself on St. James' Park's radar this summer. This was amid the dramatic circumstances that saw Isak make a record-breaking £125 million ($164.2 million) move to Liverpool.
Newcastle reportedly tabled multiple bids for the 25-year-old forward, but Vitor Pereira was adamant about retaining his star player. At the time, he stated: "If it's my decision, of course [we will keep him]. Of course. Because he's a very important player.
"It's not only about the technical and tactical, it's about the character. He's a player with character. I can imagine his mind in this moment because he listens to a lot of things, reading a lot of things, and then he keeps the commitment.
"Until now, Jorgen is our player. We'll see what happens. I understand football. Football is football. Every player has a price, I believe. Even [Lionel] Messi or Cristiano [Ronaldo]. I understand football, but for me, he is very, very important for us. We'll see what happens."
Despite Wolves' success in keeping Strand Larsen at Molineux, the Norwegian has had a difficult time finding the back of the net this season. The striker has only managed to score once in seven Premier League appearances so far this term.
While Newcastle fans may be disappointed with how Isak's departure unfolded, the Swedish forward has yet to justify his hefty price tag at Anfield. The 26-year-old has only donned the Liverpool jersey four times in the Premier League this season, failing to find the back of the net and providing just one assist - his solitary goal came in the Reds' 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Championship side Southampton in September.
Newcastle, however, chose to bolster its attack by signing Yoane Wissa from Brentford and Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart this summer. The decision to bring in Woltemade is already paying dividends. The 23-year-old German has quickly endeared himself to the Toon Army, scoring six times in 11 appearances across all competitions for Newcastle.
Wissa, meanwhile, is yet to make his debut for the club since his summer move from Brentford, due to a knee injury. The Magpies are currently flying high after their resurgence continued on Wednesday with a 2-0 victory over Spurs in the Carabao Cup, courtesy of goals from Fabian Schar and Woltemade, securing their fourth win in their last five matches.
Newcastle's attention now turns back to the Premier League, as Eddie Howe's players gear up to face a struggling West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday.
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