In this latest column, John Aldridge assesses a landmark goal for Alexander Isak and why Liverpool cannot become carried away by victory at West Ham United
Alexander Isak of Liverpool celebrates after scoring during the Premier League match at West Ham United on November 30 2025
Alexander Isak of Liverpool celebrates after scoring during the Premier League match at West Ham United on November 30 2025
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People simply won’t realise just how much that goal for Alexander Isak at West Ham United will do for the Liverpool forward. Trust me, as a former striker, I know exactly where his head will be right at this moment.
His confidence was shot. The confidence of his team-mates was shot. And they all needed a boost of any sort.
That came with Isak’s opener at the London Stadium that set the Reds on their way to victory and represented a first Premier League goal for his new club. He will have woken up on Monday morning feeling an awful lot better about himself.
That is the difference a goal can make to a forward when they have been on any sort of drought. Even scoring a penalty makes such a huge impact.
My main spell without a goal was when I was on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.
When you aren’t scoring, the goal looks like a hockey goal with a massive keeper stood in the way. But when you are on form, the goals look like rugby sticks with a tiny goalkeeper keeping guard.
Confidence makes a world of difference for any player, but particularly when you’re a striker who relies on instinct.
Isak has had to keep getting in there to score – you can’t shy away from it – and that paid dividends when he converted Cody Gakpo’s pass.
When you stop getting those opportunities and stop getting into those positions, that’s when you should start worrying. But it’s fair to say Isak has largely been feeding off scraps at Liverpool with the team still adjusting to him and vice-versa.
Liverpool and Isak will hope that it’s now like waiting for a bus, with lots more goals to follow after such a lengthy wait.
He already had two chances in the game before scoring, a sign that the relationships in the team are starting to improve.
And what a magnificent finish it was for his goal. He had no right to score in that corner, and it’s precisely the kind of strike that Liverpool paid big money for him to deliver.
After Erling Haaland, Isak is the most natural finisher in the Premier League. Liverpool just need to hope he believes in himself and starts to net on a regular basis.
Reds have a foundation
Finally, a win for Liverpool! And it doesn’t half make you feel a little better when you get those three points.
People can say West Ham were poor – and let’s be honest, they weren’t great – but there was a much better balance to Arne Slot’s team, particularly in defence.
But it’s a building block for now. Nobody should be getting carried away with things too much just yet.
West Ham had Callum Wilson who is no slouch, and Jarrod Bowen always seems to have a good game against Liverpool.
However, we were able to keep them quiet and we were scrapping for second balls and possession all over the pitch.
Sure, it wasn’t perfect. But it was a step in the right direction.