Alexander Isak was absent as Newcastle played out a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, and now the Magpies are set to face Liverpool at St James’ Park next Monday.

Anthony Gordon warned Liverpool they will face a tough challenge at Newcastle next Monday night, amid growing frustration over their efforts to sign Alexander Isak.

The Swedish forward missed the game as Newcastle kicked off their Premier League season with a goalless draw against Aston Villa, where Villa were reduced to 10 men after Ezri Konsa was sent off for bringing down Gordon midway through the second half.

Furious Newcastle fans were heard chanting “there’s only one greedy ” after the match, clearly expressing their anger over the ongoing saga involving their star striker.

The Magpies will host Liverpool in their first home game of the season next Monday, and following the draw at Villa Park, focus quickly turned to the upcoming clash, with the club’s frustration over Liverpool’s attempts to sign Isak still very much present.

Liverpool had one bid for the 25-year-old rejected by Newcastle and are expected to return with another offer after Isak made it clear he has no intention of playing for the Magpies again.

When asked about the upcoming match against Liverpool by TNT Sports, Scouser Gordon said: “With everything that’s happened, I’m sure the atmosphere is going to be intense.”

“I’m excited to see the home fans again and get back to the stadium. It’s going to be a great game.”

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was also asked about the Isak situation after the game, saying: “It’s a tricky situation to address.

“I hope it gets resolved soon because it’s something that’s constantly being talked about. The players have managed to block it out and perform. We need to keep doing that. We have to handle the pressure around us.”

On whether the Isak saga would add extra fire to the Liverpool match, he said: “It’s always intense when we play Liverpool, there’s a history to it. We’re looking forward to it. We know how strong they are.”

Liverpool opened their season with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday, with summer signing Hugo Ekitike scoring his first goal for the club, before late goals from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah sealed a dramatic win.

Newcastle triumphed over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final in March, while their last league encounter at St James’ Park in December finished 3-3.