Alexander Isak will be returning to Liverpool early in the international break, with an injury scare that means he won't feature for Sweden in the next three fixtures.
Sweden's forward #09 Alexander Isak celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League Group B4 football match between Sweden and Romania
Alexander Isak has left the Sweden camp early(Image: (Photo by Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP via Getty Images))
The Swedish national team has confirmed that Alexander Isak has left its training camp early in the international break, due to a "minor injury".
The Liverpool star appeared in some discomfort following a clash with Romania in the UEFA Nations League, after being spotted in the mixed zone after the game with a bloodied foot.
While it is unclear how serious the injury is, the Reds have confirmed that he will now be assessed by club doctors back on Merseyside before a timeline will be given on his return.
It's a slight injury scare for Andoni Iraola's side, with Isak having impressed in the early stages of the season so far, scoring four goals in five Premier League appearances so far.
That form continued into the international break, with the 27-year-old scoring for Sweden in a 2-1 win over Romania in the UEFA Nations League, where he also walked away with a minor injury.
Fortunately for Liverpool, there are still two weeks until the next match, due to the extended international break that means four matches are played over a three-week period with the national teams.
The Reds make their return to action against Manchester City in early October, with a clash at Anfield that is set to truly test the early work of Iraola and the squad so far.
With Isak being one of the key components of that so far, the Merseyside outfit faces a potentially nervous wait to see the extent of the injury suffered by the striker, and his availability for such a crucial encounter.
Sweden's forward #09 Alexander Isak celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League Group B4 football match between Sweden and Romania in Solna, Sweden on September 25, 2026. (Photo by Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP via Getty Images)
Alexander Isak scored for Sweden in its Nations League game against Romania(Image: Getty Images)
Should the striker not be available, then Iraola will need to shuffle the pack in terms of his forward options, with Hugo Ekitike's long-term injury meaning that there is a lack of natural centre-forwards available.
So far, the manager has shown faith in Lewis Koumas, who featured as the central striker in Liverpool's EFL Cup win over Tottenham. The Welsh international showed the desire to press that brought the rest of the team up with him, something that could see him handed another opportunity as a centre-forward.
There may be a chance for Cody Gakpo to play as a central striker, a position he has played before, while Federico Chiesa is set for a return from injury and has shown he can play up front if required.
It means there are options available to Iraola, even if they are not the ideal choice in comparison to Isak. However, the lack of natural strikers was always going to be a risk if Isak got injured alongside Ekitike.
It remains to be seen whether the Swedish international will be available or not, with two weeks to go before the Reds are back in action.