Isak equalled his Premier League goal tally from the entirety of last season with a brace against Ipswich Town
Isak equalled his Premier League goal tally from the entirety of last season with a brace against Ipswich Town(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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When Alexander Isak got on the end of Florian Wirtz's pass to finish again for Liverpool against Ipswich, he thought he'd bagged his first hat-trick in Red. The Sweden international was offside, but he can be more than happy with his evening's work as the Reds secured the first win of the Andoni Iraola era.
In fact, Isak has already equalled his Premier League goal tally from the entirety of last season. That was a campaign that escaped the 26-year-old after a fraught transfer saga in the summer, issues building up his fitness and to add injury to insult, a broken leg when scoring a goal against Tottenham.
Three goals in three games will do wonders for a striker's confidence, though, and this campaign has suddenly taken on a very different complexion. Touch wood - if Liverpool can keep Isak fit, this team can challenge regardless of any other issue you can think of.
The key question this season was always going to be how Liverpool replace Mohamed Salah's goals and creativity. Cody Gakpo played Robin, setting up both goals, but if this was the turning point for Isak then Liverpool can say hello to a new Batman.
Barcola first impressions
There wasn't too much to take away from Bradley Barcola's half-hour debut, with Liverpool anything but pushing for another goal in the second half.
The Frenchman made some smart touches, though, the highlight being a quick one-two with Milos Kerkez before stretching his long legs to work some space on the left flank and send a teasing ball through the penalty area that Gakpo really should have left for Dominik Szoboszlai.
The main thing to take away from Barcola's debut wasn't anything he did on the ball, but rather the glorious reception he was given by the travelling Kop.
The Frenchman was serenaded with a tune familiar to Liverpool fans of a millennial vintage or above, who will remember the Maxi Rodriguez chant to the tune of Heartbeat by Buddy Holly.
"Bradley... Bradley Barcola runs down the wing for me!"
It's a joyous little number and Anfield will be a happier place for it this season if Barcola can get the fans on their feet singing along with performances to match.
Araujo gives flexibility
There's no escaping the impression that the signing of Ronald Araujo showed a little bit of desperation from Liverpool's recruitment team when he joined from Barcelona on an initial loan this summer.
Ibrahima Konate was adamant that he wanted to stay right up until the moment he wasn't, his Liverpool career ending when he joined Real Madrid on the expiry of his contract.
Araujo was a signing out of left-field, but he has featured in every game so far for Liverpool this season and started as a makeshift right-back against Ipswich.
It isn't an unfamiliar position for the Uruguayan - he featured there six times from March onwards for Barca last season - but he is a very unfamiliar profile for Iraola as a right-back.
That proved to be a useful thing for Liverpool's new head coach, though, giving him the flexibility to be able to switch to a back five with Szoboszlai slotting in at right wing-back as the Reds saw out their two-goal lead in the second half.
It's an early sign that Iraola will be pragmatic when the game calls for it, which is good news for Liverpool given the squad still looks quite imbalanced and it's hard to see the Reds having it all their own way throughout what is sure to be another gruelling Premier League season.
Araujo's seven clearances were the most of any player in Red, and it is reassuring to have a defender of his calibre in the squad as Jeremy Jacquet continues to adapt to elite football.