I’m going to make a bold claim here.
Alexander Isak might not be Liverpool’s best player, but I’m starting to think he could be our most important.
And after watching Liverpool fight back to beat Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, I think there is a very good argument for it.
Two goals at Ipswich. One at Bournemouth. One at Brentford.
That is four goals across those three away games, and the goals against Ipswich and Brentford were particularly valuable in turning difficult matches into wins.
Isak has now scored five goals in six Premier League appearances this season, according to This Is Anfield.
For a striker who has had to deal with injuries and is still building his understanding with his new teammates, that is an encouraging return.
But what interests me most is not simply how many goals he scores.
It is when he scores them.
Isak is delivering when Liverpool need him
Saturday’s trip to Brentford was another example.
Liverpool were struggling to find their rhythm, and Keane Lewis-Potter put the hosts ahead just before half-time. Brentford were organised, aggressive and making life difficult for Iraola’s side.
The game changed when Yehor Yarmoliuk was sent off for a headbutt on Jérémy Jacquet, but Liverpool still had to make their advantage count.
Victor Muñoz levelled the match in the second half, and then Isak produced the moment that mattered.
Bradley Barcola nodded the ball into his path, and Isak controlled it before drilling a finish into the bottom corner in the 70th minute.
It was the sort of finish you expect from a striker of his quality.
No panic. No unnecessary touches. Just control the ball, create the opening and put it away.
Isak later explained that he had not seen many chances coming his way, so he was waiting for his moment. When it arrived, he made the most of it.
That is what good strikers do.
They can be quiet for long periods and still decide a game with one opportunity.
And Liverpool have been crying out for that kind of reliability.
Liverpool have plenty of attacking talent – but Isak gives them something different
Look at the options Iraola has available when everyone is fit.
Florian Wirtz can create chances and find passes that other players simply do not see.
Barcola has pace, trickery and the ability to beat defenders.
Cody Gakpo can carry the ball, cut inside and contribute goals.
Hugo Ekitike offers another attacking option, while Muñoz is already showing that he can contribute in important moments.
There is a lot of talent there.
But Isak gives Liverpool something none of those players quite provide in the same way: a natural centre-forward who can turn half a chance into a goal.
That is why I think he could become so important.
Liverpool do not need every attacker to score in every game. They need different players to contribute in different ways, and they need somebody who can be trusted when a chance finally arrives.
Isak is beginning to show that he can be that player.
His goal at Brentford was also a reminder that he does not need to dominate a match to influence the result.
Sometimes the most important contribution is the simplest one.
Put the ball in the net.
Barcola and Wirtz could make Isak even more valuable
The other encouraging part is that Liverpool are starting to see signs of a partnership developing between their expensive attacking recruits.
Barcola supplied the assist for Isak’s winner, while Wirtz played the pass that released Muñoz for Liverpool’s equaliser. Both contributed to the comeback after impressing in the midweek Champions League victory over LASK.
That is what I want to see more often.
Wirtz finding the passes that open up defences. Barcola stretching opponents and creating opportunities. Isak getting into the right positions and finishing the chances.
It sounds obvious, but these things take time.
Liverpool have spent heavily on their attack, and there will inevitably be pressure for those players to click immediately. I still think there is plenty of work to do, but Saturday offered another glimpse of what might be possible.
The important thing now is consistency.
One good combination is encouraging. Seeing it happen week after week would be something else entirely.
The resilience at the Gtech matters just as much
I don’t want to overlook the wider performance, either.
Liverpool had to come from behind away from home, deal with an awkward opponent and cope with more injury problems during the game.
Dominik Szoboszlai went off before half-time, and Jeremie Frimpong lasted only a few minutes after coming on at the break. Despite those setbacks, Liverpool found a way to win.
Muñoz deserves credit for his equaliser, and Iraola deserves credit for sticking with an attacking approach after Frimpong was forced off. Rather than simply making a like-for-like defensive change, he used Muñoz at right-back and kept Liverpool’s attacking threat on that side.
It paid off.
There were certainly things Liverpool could have done better, and Brentford’s red cards inevitably influenced the game. I’m not going to pretend it was a flawless performance.
But Liverpool still had to take advantage of the situation.
They did that, and they left with three points.
After the disappointment of losing 3–0 to Manchester City, that response was vital.
Good teams have to find ways to win when they are not at their best.
Liverpool did exactly that at the Gtech.
Isak could be the player who makes the difference
This is why I keep coming back to Isak.
Liverpool have players who can excite us, players who can create something out of nothing and players who can change the direction of a match with one clever pass.
But goals remain the currency of football.
You can dominate possession, create promising moves and look dangerous for 20 minutes. If nobody finishes the chances, none of it matters.
Isak is giving Liverpool a focal point and, increasingly, a reliable finisher.
I’m not saying he is better than Wirtz, Van Dijk, Alisson or any of Liverpool’s other top players. That’s a different argument.
I’m saying that his role could be more important than people realise.
If Isak stays fit and continues scoring at this rate, Liverpool will have a much better chance of turning their attacking talent into points.
And with Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo and the other options around him, there is plenty of potential for the team to become more dangerous as the season progresses.
Isak might not be Liverpool’s best player. But he could be the player who makes the biggest difference to their season.
Four goals across those three away games tell part of the story.
The comeback at Brentford tells the rest.
Liverpool still have plenty to improve, but they have a striker delivering important goals, attacking options beginning to contribute and a team that refused to give in when the afternoon became difficult.
That is something worth building on.
And if Isak keeps delivering when Liverpool need him most, I think we’ll soon understand just how important he really is.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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