Arne Slot Declares Alexander Isak “Ready to Fire” as Liverpool Gear Up for United Clash
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has issued a bold statement ahead of their fierce showdown with Manchester United. Alexander Isak’s real season starts now.
After a slow-burning start to life at Anfield, the £125 million British record signing is, according to Slot, finally primed to deliver.
The Swedish forward, who arrived from Newcastle on deadline day, has endured a quiet spell, just one goal in 313 minutes across six appearances. That solitary strike came in a Carabao Cup win over Southampton.
Add to that a frustrating international break where he drew blanks against Kosovo and Switzerland, and doubts began to whisper.
But Slot isn’t flinching. The Dutchman believes Isak’s moment has arrived.
“I think now he has had his five, six weeks of pre-season, which is normal for every player, especially if you have been out for three or four months,” said Slot.
“Fitness-wise, he is close to the level he should be, and we can judge him in a fair way from now on.”
Slot admitted that international goal droughts often draw attention but urged patience.
“I know how this industry works. If he plays there (Sweden) twice and doesn’t score, that’s not what you’re hoping for, of course,” he continued.
“You are hoping if they go to the national team, they score goals like Cody (Gakpo) did, like Virgil (van Dijk) did, like Dominik (Szoboszlai) did, like (Alexis) Mac Allister did, but he didn’t.”
Now, with the pre-season “finally done,” Slot is eager to unleash his star forward. “His pre-season has maybe finished now, he has played a few games, 70, 80, 90 minutes, so let’s see where he is in the upcoming weeks.”
Isak isn’t alone in his early struggles. Liverpool’s form has been shaky; three defeats in a week raised eyebrows, and several key names have been under scrutiny.
Alexis Mac Allister, for one, has battled inconsistent fitness. But two goals for Argentina during the international break might mark a turning point.
“One thing is clear is that he missed out on a lot, unfortunately,” Slot admitted. “He went out (injured) immediately after we won the league, and we were expecting him to be back for the start of pre-season, which he wasn’t.”
“That led to the fact he wasn’t able to play three times in a row, so he went in-out, in-out 60 minutes, 45 minutes, and that is never an ideal scenario for a player.”
Slot, however, remains confident that the Argentine midfielder, like Isak, will soon hit stride.
“He is a player who has experienced so much already in his career; he will be back at the level he wants and the level I want from him.”
Even Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s talisman, hasn’t escaped criticism. Despite four goals in ten matches, his overall impact has been questioned, particularly after Chelsea exploited the Reds’ right flank.
Slot responded firmly to those who doubted Salah’s defensive work rate.
“I heard the comments from Marc Cucurella and saw how they scored the 2-1, but I can also show you the five or six moments where Mo could have made the difference for us,” Slot said.
“If that had happened, we would have had the conversation like we did last season, where he made the difference so many times for us.”
For now, all eyes return to Alexander Isak, the man brought in to elevate Liverpool’s attack. His price tag brings expectation. His talent brings hope.
If the Swede can rediscover his rhythm in front of goal, Liverpool’s season might just reignite, starting with Manchester United at Anfield.
