ALEXANDER ISAK’S bullet header might have secured Newcastle United all three points in their weekend win over Arsenal, but it was the Swedish striker’s defensive work that most impressed his manager, Eddie Howe.

Newcastle returned to the top half of the Premier League table as they beat Arsenal at St James’ for the second season in a row, with the Magpies restricting Mikel Arteta’s side to just one shot on target in the whole of the game.

Howe’s defenders all performed impressively, but it was the strength of Newcastle’s collective pressing that ultimately secured their success, with Isak leading from the front.

The defensive side of the game might not come especially naturally to the 25-year-old, but he has been working on his closing down of opposition defenders, with Howe having stressed the need for him to be as effective off the ball as when he is on it.

“Your number nine is your first defender, and that’s how we look at it,” said Newcastle’s head coach, whose side will play their final game before the international break when they head to high-flying Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

“If you look at Arsenal, they defend with every single player, there’s no passengers in their team. It’s the same with Manchester City and all the top teams, it’s everyone involved, and I think Alex has taken that on for us.

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“It’s more natural for Callum (Wilson), he’s brilliant in that respect of his game, but I think Alex has really grown and hopefully will continue to improve.”

There is certainly nothing wrong with Isak’s goalscoring capabilities, with the Swede having scored three goals in the space of six days last week.

He claimed a classic striker’s goal in the league defeat to Chelsea, slotting home after Lewis Hall crossed from the left, before finding the bottom corner with another slick finish in the Carabao Cup win over the same opposition.

Saturday’s goal was the pick of the bunch, though, with Isak outjumping Gabriel in order to powerfully head home Anthony Gordon’s cross.

“He (Isak) is a class act,” said Howe. “He’s an outstanding player, and I’m really pleased to see him score the type of goal he did (against Arsenal) because it’s not a trademark Alex goal, but it’s such an important avenue of goals for us. It was a great cross from Anthony, he’s in the right position, and I thought it was an incredible header from the distance he was out.

“That’s a great thing, and he’ll feel better for himself with three goals from three games. It’ll be a different feel to how he was feeling before the Chelsea game last week.”