I saw what Alexander Isak did in Liverpool training as Mohamed Salah gets his wish

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Federico Chiesa and Alexander Isak of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Training Centre(Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)

Liverpool supporters were understandably disappointed when Alexander Isak was left out of the matchday squad to face Burnley last Sunday, but Arne Slot had a plan.

He skipped Newcastle’s pre-season tour of the Far East and trained alone, away from Eddie Howe’s first team squad, following their return to Tyneside.

Consequently, it was always going to take time for him to get back up to speed following his move to Liverpool, with the Reds wisely opting to manage him carefully as a result.

READ MORE:Alisson admits Liverpool are missing two players after blunt Mohamed Salah transfer admissionREAD MORE:Alexander Isak Liverpool selection hint dropped as mixed injury news emerges

That is why the striker was absent at Turf Moor.

But it also leaves him in a stronger position to make his Liverpool debut against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.

“Alex is far from ready for that schedule of three games in a week, 90 minutes,” Slot explained after his side’s victory over Burnley.

But the ECHO were in attendance as he took the latest steps towards making both his club playing return and Liverpool debut at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday.

Having trained alone for the majority of the past two months, the Swede was in good spirits alongside his new team-mates as he took part in the Reds’ open training session ahead of their Champions League opener.

He is clearly enjoying being back in team training too, as he was spotted joking around with both Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister - who took part after overcoming the ankle injury that forced him off against Burnley - as Slot’s players were put through their paces.

Supporters were perhaps taken aback by a recent admission from Salah, admitting he was not yet on the same wavelength as the Reds’ new attacking recruits as they continue to build up connections.

Such a notion has been clear during Liverpool’s opening four matches of the Premier League campaign.

While they are top of the table with a 100% record and Salah has returned two goals and an assist, both the Reds and the Egyptian have not been at their best.

While there is only so much you can take away from an open training session the day before a match, it was still encouraging to see the forward in close proximity to Isak throughout as they continue to work on what they hope can be a blossoming partnership.

Liverpool will admittedly need Isak against Atletico with Slot’s attacking options already depleted - albeit self-inflicted.

Federico Chiesa took part in open training and is fit for selection, but the Italian remains unavailable for Champions League action after controversially being left out of Slot’s squad.

He was in good spirits at open training regardless, working hard to impress the Dutchman while one of his team-mates continued what has become an ongoing trend amongst members of the Liverpool squad to amuse themselves by mimicking the Italian’s accent.

With the forward unavailable against Atletico, teenagers Rio Ngumoha and Jayden Danns are the only attacking alternatives - along with Isak - to the so far ever-present starting trio of Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo.

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The stage is set then for Isak to make his bow, be it off the bench or even from the start.

His presence is needed in the absence of Chiesa, with the Italian’s unavailability in the Champions League perhaps helping influence Slot’s plan for his new club-record signing in the process.

Over two weeks have now passed since Isak first became a Liverpool player, having had to wait all summer to be granted his dream move to Anfield following a lengthy transfer saga.

Supporters have had to excitedly wait patiently to see Isak represent the club for the first time.