Newcastle hopeful striker Alexander Isak can play in crucial season finale

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Newcastle striker Alexander Isak has made “good progress” and could be available Sunday when Eddie Howe’s team can clinch Champions League qualification with a victory against Everton in the final game of the Premier League season.

Isak had a groin injury that forced him to miss last week’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal, leaving Newcastle in fourth place but tied on points with Chelsea and Aston Villa below them and one point ahead of Nottingham Forest. The top five will qualify for the Champions League.

The Sweden international has scored 23 league goals this season, trailing only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

“He is doing OK,” Howe said Friday at a news conference ahead of Everton’s visit to St. James’ Park. “He hasn’t trained with us yet, but he’s made good progress through the week. The next couple of days will be absolutely crucial to his availability on Sunday.”

Howe said there’s “a chance” his leading scorer will play.

“It’s difficult to give any more than that. Until he trains with us, we won’t fully know how he’s going to respond to the training and the demands that the game will place upon him,” Howe said. “We’ll only play him if he’s fit to contribute but at the moment he has an opportunity, potentially.”

Champions League qualification would be another boost for a Newcastle team that also won the English League Cup this season.

Second-place Arsenal has already clinched its Champions League spot behind Premier League champion Liverpool.

Third-place Manchester City is two points above Newcastle and plays at Fulham on Sunday, when Nottingham Forest hosts Chelsea, and Aston Villa plays at Manchester United.

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