Alexander Isak may not be on the pitch at St. James ' Park on Monday but he will be top of mind when Newcastle United take on Liverpool, and in more ways than one.

The Premier League champions have out-spent all comers this summer but came up $54 million short of Newcastle's asking price for Isak and have yet to return with an improved bid.The Reds also purchased one of the Magpies' preferred Isak replacements in Hugo Ekitike.

The Reds head to the north-east to face the Magpies, with the Alexander Isak transfer saga still rumbling on between the two teams.