After watching his beloved Manchester United end 2024 with a disappointing loss to Newcastle United, club legend Gary Neville remained gracious in defeat. The Sky Sports pundit had to survey the damage of his side's 2-0 reversal and offer his thoughts on one of the goalscorers - Alexander Isak - before he was allowed to leave Old Trafford on Monday evening.

Speaking on his own podcast after the game, Neville was quizzed over the Swede who had opened the scoring after just four minutes - and couldn't be more complimentary about Newcastle's £63m superstar.

“Isak’s movement and the quality of his play – he’s absolutely fantastic," Neville said. "He’s improving all the time, we know he can score goals, he can run, but also his hold-up play and link with others I think he’s got better and better the more he’s been at Newcastle.

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“We threw back to the studio, Dave Jones asked Jamie Carragher if he was the best striker in the Premier League, at this moment, I think he is. Purely because you watch Erling Haaland a lot and he’s a world-class striker but his general play is nothing like Isak’s at this moment in time.”

The Isak vs Erling Haaland debate will rage on for as long as the pair are both in the Premier League and scoring goals. So far this term, the pair have 26 to their name [Isak 12, Haaland 14] as they chase down Mohamed Salah [17] for the top flight Golden Boot.

Haaland's current haul is rather remarkable when you think about the struggles Manchester City have endured this term. Even more so when you discover the Norwegian had scored just one goal in his last seven league games before finding the net against Leicester City last time out.

Haaland's goal record needs no going over but his all-round game, as Neville mentions, doesn't exactly scream elite. Isak, on other hand, seems to have it all.

After enjoying a December that saw him score in six consecutive games, the Newcastle man also registered assists against Liverpool and Leicester City. One particular moment in Monday's win over Manchester United stood out too.

Dropping deep to pick the ball up in his own half, Isak turned, saw the run of co-star Lewis Hall and sprayed a lovely pass in between the lines for the left-back to chase. It smacked of similarities to Trent Alexander-Arnold's now-viral pass against West Ham United in recent days.

Back to Haaland conversation and there are statistics in black and white for all to see. Isak has taken significantly fewer shots on goal [37 to Haaland's 65] but enjoys a greater shot accuracy [67% to 65%] and, as mentioned, is just two goals behind his Manchester City counterpart in the scoring charts.

Isak has created 14 more big chances than Haaland and has attempted 123 more passes this term, with a significantly greater accuracy [77% to 67%]. There's also the constant link up play, close control, impressive dribbling and off the ball movement that has caught the eye of late.

Eddie Howe is working wonders with Newcastle's record signing but isn't resting on his laurels as he seeks to push the No 14 further and further after a stellar start to the season.

“My biggest thing with Alex is I am evaluating his game on a daily and weekly basis and I just want to try to push him for more," Howe said recently. Everyone else can say where he is in the pecking order of world football. His game is in a good place at the moment.

“My job is to not sit back and appreciate that, my job is to try and find areas he can improve, push him towards that and never stop pushing him. He has all the ingredients in there. Football never stops evolving and changing and he has to evolve with it."

Isak likely won't pay too much attention to the ongoing speculation and debate over who is better but Neville's viewpoint appears to slowly be gaining traction among the masses as Newcastle grapple with the fact they may indeed own the best striker in the Premier League.