Arne Slot reveals when Alexander Isak will make his Liverpool debut as Burnley absence explained
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Liverpool have returned to action after the international break, but fans will have to wait longer to see Alexander Isak in action.
The Reds have had a more than impressive summer away from the pitch in the transfer market, with Arne Slot’s side spending a record-breaking amount of money.
A good chunk of that £446m came on Isak alone, with the Swede finally getting his Anfield move after all but forcing his way out of Newcastle.
Reds supporters are keen to see him in action after the striker got his first minutes of the season while on international duty, but Burnley will not be the match in which they get to see him play.
And, much to the frustration of many, Slot’s reasoning for why he left his new number nine makes a whole lot of sense, with the Dutchman also confirming when he will make his awaited debut.
Photo by Nikki Dyer – LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Due to the summer Isak has had, and how much he has cost, of course, Liverpool need to be very careful with how they go about managing his minutes.
Fans will have been keen to see him face Burnley, but due to the international break, he has not had long to get to know his new teammates.
This is the exact reasoning why his new manager decided to leave him out of the matchday squad entirely, although Slot did confirm that Isak will make his debut in the Champions League on Wednesday.
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“We’ve decided it is the best for him to have a proper week of training instead of every time going for five or ten minutes of playing,” Slot told the Premier League channels prior to Liverpool’s meeting with Burnley.
“I can assure the fans that he will be involved on Wednesday – but this game came a bit too early!”
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The Reds face Atletico Madrid at Anfield midweek, meaning that Isak will be introduced for the first time in the perfect venue possible.
And, with Isak keen to win the Champions League and not just participate, which is one of the reasons he opted to move in the first place, he has the perfect chance to prove that the entire saga was worthwhile.
Injuries have been a big problem in Isak’s career to date, hence why Liverpool want to be so careful with him.
And, with another five games in September, there is no rush to get him fit in time as he will have plenty of chances to get minutes here and there.
Atletico Madrid are certainly a tough debut, quite literally given their aggressive style of play, meaning that the Swede will likely get a few minutes towards the end to be safe.
With his first Merseyside derby so soon after too due to it being the early kick-off on Saturday, Liverpool fans may come to realise that Slot’s decision to leave him out against Burnley is a very smart one.