Eddie Howe addresses Alexander Isak injury blow as Champions League race heads to the wire

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe says it's still far too early to say whether Alexander Isak will be fit to feature for the Magpies in their final game of the season against Everton next weekend.

The Swedish striker is currently one of the best forwards in world football and has played a major role in Newcastle's success this season, scoring 27 goals and registering six assists in 41 games in all competitions.

However, Isak was forced to sit out the Magpies' trip to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, with the Gunners running out 1-0 winners at The Emirates Stadium.

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That result means are still in with a shout of qualifying for the Champions League next season after their win over Manchester United on Friday night. The Blues take on fellow top-five hopefuls Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season, with the winner guaranteed a place in Europe's elite competition.

side know anything less than a win means they'll be reliant on other results with Aston Villa, Man City and the Tricky Trees on their trail. A win for Forest means the Blues would finish on 66 points, but they'd need both Unai Emery and Pep Guardiola's side to lose on the final day to sneak into the Champions League.

Newcastle could also drop out of the top five if they lose to Everton and other results go against them in the final game of the season. Howe will be hoping he can call on his star striker for next weekend, with the Magpies set for a nervous wait between now and then.

“I don’t know the answer to that question," Howe said when quizzed about Isak's availability for their all-important clash with Everton next weekend. "It’s far too early to make an assessment on whether he will or he won’t. I think he’s got a chance. I don’t know any more than that.

“He had a scan this morning and felt a little bit of stiffness last night after travelling down. He didn’t feel anything during training. [He] had the scan and it showed some swelling so we took him out of the game and we hope we can get him ready for next week.”