Liverpool face Burnley in their next Premier League matchplaceholder image
Liverpool face Burnley in their next Premier League match | Getty Images/ Canva
Liverpool boss Arne Slot faces a key selection dilemma ahead of his side’s clash with Burnley
New Liverpool No.9 Alexander Isak has a ‘minimal chance’ of starting against Burnley after returning from international duty.
The 25-year-old missed the entirety of Newcastle’s pre-season in an effort to force through the move and after finally getting his wish made his first appearance of the season for Sweden during a shock 2-0 defeat to 95th ranked Kosovo in an abject performance for Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side. Isak was given just 18 minutes to make an impact due to his lack of match fitness and squandered a golden opportunity to get his side back into the contest.
The Swedish international has since travelled back to England and is getting bedded into his new surroundings at AXA as the Reds prepare to face a Burnley team that has picked up three points from as many games so far this season.
Will Alexander Isak make his Liverpool debut this weekend
TBR Football writer Graeme Bailey claims it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Alexander Isak leads the line against Burnley this weekend, though he adds that the likelihood is minimal at this stage. Bailey believes Arne Slot will continue to deploy summer signing Hugo Ekitike in the centre forward position ahead of Isak after the Frenchman’s sublime start to life in English football.
“I think it is minimal, but let’s see how the fitness levels are coming back from international duty – but I don’t think it is impossible,” Bailey explained.
This view was shared by ex-Arsenal and Sweden legend Freddie Ljungberg, who believes Liverpool ordered the national team to limit the striker’s gametime. He told TBR Football: “My impression is that Liverpool had ordered a maximum of 20 minutes, absolutely no more. But that is speculation on my part and I don’t know.
“We will never know the truth. Because even if Liverpool has said one thing, Jon Dahl Tomasson will not admit it openly.”
Alexander Isak’s goal record against Burnley
Alexander Isak has faced Burnley twice during his career in England and has found the net on both occasions. He netted a penalty for Newcastle in a 2-0 home win over Burnley in September 2023 and also found the net from close range during a 4-1 victory for Eddie Howe’s men later that season in a match which also saw him miss for the first and only time in his Newcastle career.
Isak will hope to get off the mark as quickly as possible after a disjointed pre-season. He netted 27 goals in total last season, including 23 in the Premier League - becoming the first player in Newcastle’s history to hit 20+ goals in consecutive seasons in Black and White during the Premier League era.
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