Liverpool striker Alexander Isak is still working his way back to full match sharpness, but Arne Slot needs him to step up after a serious Achilles injury for Hugo Ekitike
Alexander Isak during the Champions League game between Liverpool and PSG.(Image: Michael Regan – UEFA via Getty Images)
Liverpool forward Alexander Isak says he feels close to getting back to full match fitness again after his first campaign at Anfield was ruined by a lack of sharpness and then a broken leg.
Isak went on strike to force through a $169 million (£125 million) transfer to Liverpool last summer and therefore missed the whole of pre-season with Newcastle. He arrived lacking sharpness and needed a good while to get up to speed.
Almost as soon as that had happened, however, Isak then broke his leg in the act of scoring against Tottenham in December. Now back available once more, he looks to be in a similar position again in terms of regaining peak form.
READ MORE: How Liverpool could line up next season with 3 transfers to transform Arne Slot’s sideREAD MORE: Arne Slot makes bold prediction for next season and hits back at Liverpool ‘doubts’“Obviously I was out for a long time and I’ve been working hard to get back,” Isak told club media ahead of featuring in this weekend’s Merseyside derby.
“That’s pretty much every rehab — some are a bit more complicated than others. But it was a difficult injury and it took a lot of hard work and long days to get here.
“I’m very happy to be back out there. I mean it’s never easy being out for a long time. But I feel like I’m getting there and hopefully we can get the results as well.”
Liverpool’s hope of pairing up Alexander Isak (centre) and Hugo Ekitike (right) next season, to help ease the burden left by the departure of Mohamed Salah (left), have been hit by the latter’s serious injury(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
With Hugo Ekitike set for a number of months on the treatment table thanks to a serious Achilles injury, Isak will need to step up in the final six games of the season to help fire Liverpool back into the Champions League.
Do that, and next season will be set up as best as possible for the Reds to kick on again. Isak needs to regain his fitness and a full pre-season should be helpful to get him back on track.
“Obviously we’re all gutted for [Ekitike’s] injury,” Isak continued. “It’s very unfortunate for him and for the team as well. We’re all behind him, supporting him.”
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Isak could start for Liverpool at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday, but he didn’t look that ready to have been involved against PSG on Tuesday.
Slot started the Swede at Anfield even though he knew he could only play in the first half because of the potential for extra time.
Had Isak come on in the second half and the game had then been extended by an additional half an hour, he would have needed to use another substitution to take him off again and manage his minutes.
Liverpool.com says: Isak’s quality is unquestionable. When he gets up to full speed, he should be a goal machine — he is, after all, one of the best number nines in the world. This season has been incredibly frustrating, but he will prove himself eventually.
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