Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking ahead of the Premier League clash against Manchester United this weekend
Arne Slot believes Liverpool will now see the real Alexander Isak
Arne Slot believes Liverpool will now see the real Alexander Isak
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Arne Slot believes Alexander Isak can now be judged fairly as a Liverpool player after declaring the striker's delayed pre-season is now finished. Isak was forced to play catch-up in terms of fitness since arriving at Anfield at the start of last month in a British record £125million deal having been banished from the Newcastle United squad throughout the summer.
The 26-year-old came through two 90 minutes during the international break when featuring for Sweden in their World Cup qualifying losses at home to Switzerland and Kosovo.
And while Isak was not among the several Liverpool players to hit the target for their national teams over the past fortnight, Slot reckons the forward should now be up to speed as the Reds prepare to resume Premier League hostilities with the visit of bitter North West rivals Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.
“I think now he has had his five or six weeks of pre-season which is normal for every player – especially if you have been out for three or four months," said the Liverpool boss.
"Fitness-wise he is close to the level he should be and we can judge him in a fair way from now on.
"I know how this industry works. If he plays there (Sweden) twice and doesn’t score that's not what you're hoping for, of course. You are hoping if they go to the national team they score goals like Cody did, like Virgil did, like Dominik did, like Mac Allister did, but he didn't.
"His pre-season has maybe finished now, he has played a few games 70, 80, 90 minutes so let's see where he is in the upcoming weeks."
Isak has one goal in six appearances for Liverpool since joining and will be challenging Hugo Ekitike for the central striker role against United with Slot's looking to address a run of three successive defeats.
The Reds lost 2-1 at Chelsea last time out with Londoners' left-back Marc Cucurella claiming the home team targeted space in behind Mohamed Salah down the Liverpool right as an area to exploit.
And Slot said: "I heard the comments from Cucurella and saw how they scored the 2-1 but I can also show you the five or six moments where Mo could have made the difference for us.
"If that had have happened, we would have had the conversation like we did last season where he made the difference so many times for us. If that doesn't happen then there are probably comments like this.
"There is always the balance between winger and full-backs. I want our full-backs to attack as well. We have to find the right balance in that, we are conceding too many crosses compared to last season and it is something that I am aware of so we have to do better."