Arne Slot has given Alexander Isak his first start since joining Liverpool against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Isak is in line to make his Reds debut after joining from Newcastle on transfer deadline day in a deal worth £125million.
The Swede was omitted from the squad that beat Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday, with Slot admitting after the game that Isak was "far from ready" to play. Isak has featured in only a handful of minutes since the final game of last season, which came on international break.
The 25-year-old didn't feature for Newcastle in their entire pre-season as he attempted to force a move from the club. He also didn't play in their August Premier League fixtures or train with the team.
Speaking ahead of the Atletico clash, Slot said that starting Isak was "always the plan".
Alexander Isak at Liverpool's open training session this afternoon ahead of the Champions League match with Atletico Madrid
Alexander Isak has been prepared for the Atletico clash (Image: DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
He said: “If you start a season when the players have been off for five weeks, you give them a certain base before they are able to play 45 minutes.
"We got him from Newcastle in a state where you could see his pre-season was going to start now, then he needs proper minutes of training before he has a certain base, let alone for him to play twice in three days.
"We try to prepare players at the beginning of the season to play once a week and then we try to do more before the rhythm of three games a week.
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“Alex is far from ready for that schedule of three games in a week but we could use him today for five minutes and Wednesday 10 and then 15, but we don’t believe that is the way to build him up.
“In Sweden they did the right thing by giving him good sessions without playing him a lot and we did the same so now he will be able to play 45 on Wednesday as a minimum or a little bit more.
“But if he plays 45 on Wednesday, don’t expect him to play 45 or more on Saturday (against Everton) as his body is not prepared for that.”
Isak starts as the lead striker alongside Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo in a new-look front three ahead of Florian Wirtz. Hugo Ekitike has been dropped to the bench.