Alan Shearer immediately shuts down Newcastle accusations as Alexander Isak claim made

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Alan Shearer was swift to silence Micah Richards after he suggested Newcastle United had unsettled summer target Jorgen Strand Larsen in the same manner Liverpool did with Alexander Isak .

The pair teamed up with Gary Lineker for the latest episode of The Rest Is Football , discussing all the midweek Carabao Cup drama. As the programme continued, the trio turned their attention to Chelsea's clash with Wolves , where Enzo Maresca's side eventually won 4-3 to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

It wasn't long before Strand Larsen's name cropped up courtesy of Shearer, given Wolves' struggles this campaign as they sit rock bottom of the Premier League table without a solitary victory from their first nine matches.

Shearer started: "I don't suspect this Strand Larsen thing helped either - when it was touch and go and Newcastle were coming in," before Richards cut him off, declaring: "Newcastle... You're talking about Liverpool unsettling Isak, you unsettled Strand Larsen."

But never one to accept criticism without firing back, Shearer replied with a poker face: "I never mentioned that at all, you brought that up," before breaking into laughter.

Richards then responded with heavy sarcasm: "It's alright when it works in your favour, isn't it?"

Following his 14-goal haul in the Premier League last campaign, Strand Larsen became a target for St James' Park this summer, amid the dramatic circumstances that eventually saw Isak depart the club for Liverpool in a record-shattering £125million transfer.

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The Magpies reportedly submitted multiple offers for the 25-year-old striker, though Vitor Pereira remained determined to hold onto his prized asset for the 2025/26 season.

He said at the time: "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 managing to retain Strand Larsen at Molineux, the Norwegian has struggled to deliver in front of goal this term.

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The forward has managed just one Premier League strike from seven appearances so far this season. While Toon Army supporters will be gutted about how Isak's departure played out, the Swedish forward has yet to live up to his hefty price tag at Anfield.

The 26-year-old has only made four appearances for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, failing to score and providing just one assist - his sole goal came in the Reds' 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Championship side Southampton in September.

The Magpies ultimately opted to sign Yoane Wissa from Brentford and Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart to beef up their attack this summer, with the decision to snap up the latter already proving fruitful. The 23-year-old German has quickly become a crowd favourite, netting six times in 11 outings across all competitions for Newcastle.

Wissa, on the other hand, is yet to make his debut for the club since his summer switch from Brentford, due to a knee injury. The Magpies are currently riding high after their revival continued on Wednesday night with a 2-0 triumph over Spurs in the Carabao Cup, thanks to goals from Fabian Schar and Woltemade, securing their fourth win in their last five matches.

Newcastle's focus now shifts back to the Premier League, as they prepare to take on a beleaguered West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.