Arne Slot has shared a fresh update on Liverpool’s Alexander Isak after he’s been sidelined for three weeks due to injury.
Isak hasn’t had the best of times since joining Liverpool, with the Sweden international often left on the bench due to his lack of fitness.
And, just as he was getting ready to compete with Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool’s number nine, he ended up getting injured again.
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Isak’s injury likely made things a lot easier for Slot, as he was stuck with the constant dilemma of who to start between the former Newcastle ace and the Frenchman.
However, it does mean that Liverpool have missed out on seeing their record-breaking signing at his best.
Hugo Ekitike celebrates towards travelling Liverpool fans after Eintracht Frankfurt win
Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
And, ahead of the Reds’ game against Man City, it still feels unlikely that fans will see their star man shine any time soon.
Arne Slot says Alexander Isak still needs time to be as good as he was last season
Last term, the striker was undeniably one of the Premier League’s best.
He single-handedly earned Newcastle Champions League qualification at times, with the former Real Sociedad man often creating something out of nothing.
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And, even if he was given a difficult chance to convert by his teammates, he often managed to get the ball into the back of the net.
This season, things have been slightly different with Ekitike often outperforming him.
And, even though Slot said that Isak could be ready to return against Man City on Sunday, in his press conference, it felt like he was on the fence about whether the number nine would make it or not.
“He will train for the first time today with the team again after being three weeks out,” Slot said.
“So I know that I said three weeks ago that his pre-season has ended, so now it’s time to see where he is.
“But I have to come back to those words because if you’re only three weeks with rehab, that doesn’t bring you back to the levels he was three weeks ago.
“Although our rehab team is doing an incredible job, you cannot compare rehab with games of football or training sessions with the team.
“So again, I have to say, give him some time.”
Liverpool may actually be better off without Alexander Isak against Manchester City
When the summer transfer window closed, most people thought that Isak would be the main striker with Ekitike as his backup.
However, due to several different reasons, that really hasn’t been the case.
Each time Ekitike has played for Liverpool, he’s been one of Slot’s best players.
But, due to the massive fee that the Anfield outfit paid for Isak, it’s hard for Slot to leave him on the bench.
Alexander Isak in action during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt at Deutsche Bank Park.
Photo by Max Maiwald/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images
This has caused questions to be asked about who should be benched and who should start, which is causing all sorts of rumours to pop up in the media.
However, if Isak isn’t fully fit and Ekitike is up to it, it may actually end up being better for Liverpool that the Sweden international is absent from the game against City.