Dean Saunders Backs £125m Striker to Challenge Erling Haaland
Alexander Isak’s late winner at Bournemouth did more than keep Liverpool unbeaten under Andoni Iraola. It reignited talk of a genuine Alexander Isak Golden Boot bid. Former Reds striker Dean Saunders now rates that pursuit as real, insisting the £125million signing from Newcastle United can live with Erling Haaland at the top of the scoring charts.
Speaking in an interview with Sveacasino, Saunders was direct about where he sees Isak sitting in the race. “Isak is a contender to win the Golden Boot,” he said. It’s a bold claim, but Saunders backed it up with the numbers Isak has put together since arriving on Merseyside.
Haaland remains the man to beat, and Saunders was clear he sees only one rival worth mentioning. “I can’t look any further than Erling Haaland as Isak’s main competitor for the Golden Boot,” he said.
Saunders also touched on the fallout at Newcastle since Isak’s departure. “By the way, if he was still at Newcastle, then Eddie Howe would still be there. If you lose your best strikers, you normally get sacked,” he said. It’s a reminder of how highly he rates Isak among the current crop of strikers, and it fits the wider mood around the club after a summer of statement signings, which we covered in our praise for summer signings.
How Tactical Movement at Bournemouth Unlocked Isak’s Four-Goal Streak
Saunders didn’t just praise the finish against Bournemouth. He broke down the buildup that gave Isak the chance in the first place. “The goal he scored at Bournemouth was quality if you watch it back again. Liverpool had three players in the box when Cody Gakpo crossed the ball. He did brilliantly for the goal, getting down the right before putting a cross in,” he said.
Anyone who watched the Bournemouth match report will remember how crowded the box was when Gakpo whipped the ball in. Saunders explained exactly why that mattered, pointing to the movement of two more attackers who never touched the ball but still made the goal possible.
“(Florian) Wirtz distracts the first centre-back across the near post, while Bradley Barcola is at the back post with the full-back, which stops him getting involved with Isak. They had bodies in the six-yard box, you get goals like that as a striker,” he said.
It’s a small detail that a lot of fans miss, but it’s exactly the kind of movement Iraola has built into his front line since taking over. Saunders made the point again for emphasis. “When you play for teams who don’t get bodies in the box, you find it really difficult to score. But it wasn’t just Isak’s goal, it was that Wirtz got across the near post and Barcola was in the box,” he added. Anyone checking the lineup against Bournemouth will see just how attacking Iraola’s selection was that afternoon.
Overtaking Debut Season Tally as Iraola Maintains Unbeaten Start
The numbers back Saunders up. Isak now has four goals in five top-flight games this season, which already beats his tally from his debut campaign after that record £125million move from Newcastle. He sits second in the Premier League scoring charts, with only Haaland ahead of him.
That run has put the Alexander Isak Golden Boot bid on solid footing barely a month into the season. It’s a sharp turnaround from a striker who took time to settle after such a huge fee, and it’s come alongside genuine tactical shifts under Iraola that suit his movement in the box.
Iraola himself remains unbeaten as Liverpool head coach, and Isak’s goals have been central to that record. Saunders sees a direct link between the two, and doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that the striker’s rich form has coincided with the manager’s perfect start.
Fitness and Box Presence Hold Key to Liverpool’s Silverware Hopes
Saunders was blunt about how much Liverpool’s season hinges on Isak staying fit and firing. “When the season kicked off, a lot of Liverpool’s success was relying on him,” he said. “If he’s injured all the time or not banging goals in, Liverpool will have a bad season. If he does, it will be the opposite.”
He also pointed to the balance Isak provides for a defence still finding its feet. “As long as you’re keeping the ball out of your net, which Liverpool have managed to do considering they’ve got a new back four, while Isak’s on the pitch there’s always a chance for Liverpool to win the game,” he said.
“I know it’s a bit blunt, but if you look back on history, strikers get you out of trouble when you’re not playing well. And against Bournemouth, Isak did it again.”
Saunders finished with a simple assessment of the finish itself, and a nod to what Newcastle have lost. “Isak tucked it away lovely. He’s a good finisher, isn’t he? It’s whether he can stay fit, but there’s no question about his goalscoring ability. Newcastle won’t want to admit it because of the way he left, but they have missed him badly,” he said. For Liverpool, keeping him healthy and getting bodies in the box around him looks like the formula that keeps both Isak and Iraola’s unbeaten run going.
Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool: Iraola matches 1983 record in Dorset win
Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool: Iraola matches 1983 record in Dorset win
Dominik Szoboszlai arrives for Hungary duty in classic Cadillac
Dominik Szoboszlai arrives for Hungary duty in classic Cadillac