Liverpool icon tells Arne Slot what he must do immediately with Alexander Isak
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Arne Slot has been warned against throwing Alexander Isak into Liverpool's team too soon after a summer in which the striker played in no preseason games for Newcastle.
Isak effectively went on strike at Newcastle in a bid to force through a move to Anfield: he missed the Magpies' preseason opener against Celtic, and refused to travel on the club's tour of China.
Isak did not figure in any of Newcastle's opening three Premier League games of the season, either, before his determination to join Liverpool paid off on deadline day as he secured a move to Merseyside.
Isak, though, did not play in the 2-2 draw with Slovenia and only featured as a substitute for around 20 minutes in the 2-0 defeat by Kosovo.
That suggests he is highly unlikely to play from the start when Liverpool travels to Burnley on Sunday.
Former Reds marksman John Aldridge thinks it would be sensible for Hugo Ekitike to continue playing up front for Slot's team while Isak gets up to speed.
Writing in his column for the Liverpool Echo, Aldridge said: "Alexander Isak is finally back in action after his cameo from the bench for Sweden earlier this week
"But there’s absolutely no reason why Liverpool should rush the striker into the first team.
"It is far, far too early for that
Being generally fit is one thing, it’s quite another to have the necessary legs and sharpness to be playing in the Premier League every week.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if Liverpool arrange a behind-closed-doors friendly or two to put Isak through his paces
"But Isak is only really going to build up his fitness by coming off the bench, and I fully expect him to do that at Burnley on Sunday and in the games coming up against Atletico Madrid and Everton.
"There’s no reason why the striker can’t be given an hour or so in the League Cup game against Southampton later this month.
"It would, though, be a risk to give him many if any starts before that