By Wale Mustapha
Former Super Eagles head coach Sunday Oliseh has singled out Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon as two of the most underrated players in the English Premier League (EPL) this season.
Oliseh made this remark after witnessing the duo play pivotal roles in Newcastle’s 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday. Isak and Gordon scored the two goals for Eddie Howe’s side, securing an important win ahead of the second leg in February.
While reflecting on the game, Oliseh expressed his admiration for the players’ performances, acknowledging that despite Arsenal’s missed opportunities, Newcastle’s victory was a testament to the quality of Isak and Gordon.
“Sad day for Arsenal fans losing out to Newcastle, but I strongly feel these two players, Isak and Gordon, are arguably the most exciting duo and slightly the most underrated players of the Premier League this season,” Oliseh wrote on his X handle.
“I just love the variety they bring each game, and Isak is currently my favorite player in the Premier League. What a bunch of talent!!”
Both Isak and Gordon have been standout performers for Newcastle this season, helping the club to occupy 5th place in the Premier League with 35 points from 20 games.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
