Alexander Isak: Newcastle United striker hits 50-goal landmark

Newcastle United's thrilling 4-3 victory over Nottingham Forest was significant, not least because it saw Alexander Isak join the ranks of elite players. This win not only boosted the team's morale but also highlighted Isak's individual achievements even further.

Isak scored twice in Sunday's game, and although not at his absolute best, his Premier League goal tally for the season has now reached 19. Three more goals would see him set a personal best for a season at the club. His goal-scoring efficiency and contribution to the team cannot be overstated.

The Swedish striker's second goal against Forest was also his 50th in the Premier League, a milestone he reached in just 76 top-flight appearances. Isak's outstanding performance has garnered widespread recognition as well.

Only six players have reached the "50-goal club" faster in Premier League history, a testament to Isak's excellence. "Everything he does is amazing. In modern football, he is right up there as one of the top strikers, not just in the Premier League," former England goalkeeper Joe Hart said on BBC's "Match of the Day." "He is super fit, super quick, and he is always a threat because he can score all sorts of goals."

Hart continued, "He is different to everyone else on that list who is ahead of him, and that is one of the reasons why he is so difficult to stop. What I really like about him is that it is not just about what he does in front of goal. He is obviously super cool, but he is a team player as well. He is a gem for Newcastle, and he is still young at 25 and still hungry to improve, he can get even better."

So, who scored 50 Premier League goals in fewer games than Isak? BBC Sport takes you through the names on this elite list:

Erling Haaland - 48 games. Not content with breaking the single-season Premier League goalscoring record (36), which he did in his first season for Man City. He scored 12 more in his next 12 games to reach the 50-goal milestone after just 48 games. He broke a 28-year-old Premier League record for the fewest games to 50 goals, a record that will be difficult to break.

Andy Cole - 65 games. Andy Cole set the record while playing for Manchester United. Cole scored five as United beat Ipswich 9-0 in March 1995, becoming the first team to score nine in a Premier League match. Remarkably, Cole had only scored five in his previous 19 league games, but his fifth goal saw him reach 50 in his 65th match.

Alan Shearer - 66 games. As the Premier League's all-time leading scorer, it is perhaps no surprise that Alan Shearer got off to a fast start. It took Alan Shearer 66 games to score the first 50 of his 260 Premier League goals. He reached 100 goals in 124 games, 17 games faster than any other player to reach a century in the Premier League. Nevertheless, Haaland is expected to beat him.

Ruud van Nistelrooy - 68 games. Ruud van Nistelrooy is fourth on the list, taking 68 games to reach 50 Premier League goals. The Dutchman reached his half-century with a goal against Newcastle in August 2003, which was also Van Nistelrooy's 10th consecutive Premier League goal. This set a new competition record until Leicester City's Jamie Vardy scored in 11 consecutive Premier League games in 2015.

Fernando Torres - 72 games. Fernando Torres was outstanding in his initial three Premier League seasons, reaching the 50-goal milestone in just 72 games. He ended his Liverpool career when he joined Chelsea for £50m in January 2011, having scored 65 goals in 102 league games. Unfortunately, the Spaniard failed to replicate his form in London, scoring just 20 goals in 110 Premier League appearances for Chelsea.

Mohamed Salah - 72 games. Mohamed Salah matched Torres' record of 72 games when he scored twice in Liverpool's 4-3 comeback win over Crystal Palace in January 2019. The Egyptian reached 50 goals in just 5,374 minutes, the fastest in terms of playing time. Later Haaland appeared and reached 50 goals in 3,827 minutes.