Man City 3-0 Liverpool: Match Review
Nick Woltemade has scored six goals for Newcastle while Alexander Isak has netted just once since joining Liverpool.
Stephen Warnock has insisted that Liverpool were right to sign Alexander Isak over Nick Woltemade - but Reds fans might not see the best of the British record signing this season.
Liverpool's wait to recruit Isak was because Newcastle first wanted to sign a replacement. They eventually brought in Woltemade from Stuttgart for reported a fee of £65 million.
Isak has endured a slow start at Anfield, having arrived short of fitness. He has scored just once in eight games and recently missed four matches because of a groin issue. Woltemade, meanwhile, has bagged six times for Newcastle and broken into the German senior set-up.
What’s been said
Asked if Liverpool should have opted for Woltemade over Isak, Warnock, speaking to LiverpoolWorld, said: “No, because no-one knew what Woltemade was going to do. He was an unknown last season and scored a hatful of goals. He played relatively well in the under-21 Euros when I saw him. He didn't do anything in the final, he was a little bit passive when I thought he was going to step up.
“Sometimes it's the players around you that make you step up. On the right-hand side, he has got Jacob Murphy or Anthony Elanga and on the left, Anthony Gordon. There is s style that suits that No.9 at Newcastle they way they play.
“With Isak, Liverpool left it late in the window. If they knew they were going to pay that money, get him in as quick as you can. I know it was a bit more diffiuclt because Newcastle needed to find a replacement but Newcastle didn't want Woltemade to start with. They stumbled across that and probably paid over what they should have paid for him. Newcastle wanted [Hugo] Ekitike and Liverpool signed him as well.
“It hasn't worked for Isak at the moment but we will see the best of him. Whether it's in the next six months, I'm not too sure. Pre-season is so important for players and having lost that pre-season, I don't think we will see the best of him this season.”
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