Alexander Isak starting verdict reached after Liverpool star declared 'not ready'

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Alexander Isak has been called up for Sweden duty by new boss Graham Potter, but the former Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham boss says he won't start both matches01:00, 07 Nov 2025Updated 07:52, 07 Nov 2025Alexander Isak is back in the Sweden squad, but he won't be taking a full part in both of his country's games over the international break.New Sweden boss Graham Potter has acknowledged that Isak is still nursing the injury which has kept him out of Liverpool's last four matches, but he is hopeful of seeing him in the squad for Sunday's trip to Manchester City.“Alex is not ready to play 90 minutes in two games in four days," said Potter ahead of games against Switzerland and Slovenia. Hopefully he can play against Manchester City (on Sunday) and be with us in Malaga (at a training camp)."READ MORE: Alexander Isak injury latest as Liverpool return date set - 'Not ready'READ MORE: Michael Owen questions Liverpool summer signing after Arne Slot U-turnArne Slot will provide the latest on Isak's fitness at Friday morning's press conference, and while a start against City would be considered unlikely, the former Newcastle forward will face a battle to establish himself in the Reds team after the international break.Is that a battle he can win?

But then much of the summer spending spree hasn't gone exactly to plan for Arne Slot, for a variety of reasons.In the case of Isak, it is two-fold - the fitness of the Sweden international, and the form of fellow new signing Hugo Ekitike.Isak's lack of pre-season continues to hamper him and while he is now up to speed in terms of general overall fitness, a recent groin issue has underlined he isn't there with either sharpness or durability.Of course, for £125milllion Liverpool haven't bought Isak for a few months but instead many years. They won't be overly perturbed by the lack of impact just yet.And while it may be that Sunday's Premier League trip to Manchester City comes too soon for a return, Isak will, touch wood, be fit and fighting after the forthcoming final international break of the year.That, though, should not be sufficient for him to walk back into the team.

Isak will get his chances given the hectic schedule that resumes - and it's now up to him to take them.Mark JonesHave you looked at Liverpool's fixture list after the international break? If you haven't I can strongly recommend it.Games aren't won on paper famously, but the assignments do look to be a fair bit kinder for the Reds in the weeks that follow Sunday's trip to Manchester City right up to the visit to Arsenal in early January.That should allow Arne Slot to rotate a little more freely with a little less pressure, and that could be when we see Alexander Isak really come to the fore.We got a glimpse of it in the Champions League win away at Frankfurt, but of course you'd put Mo Salah back into that starting XI, with Florian Wirtz also in line for a few more starts against opposition who are likely to try and station men behind the ball.If you're then picking two from the three midfielders we've just seen against Aston Villa and Real Madrid - something you should be able to do against plenty of lesser opposition - then that leaves two attacking positions to be fought over between Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo.The players won't want to think of it like that of course, but all three should get more than enough time on the pitch in that scenario, with Slot recently discussing how both Isak and Ekitike will have to be managed in a season in which the club they are playing for will have more matches than either player has experienced before.All of them will get their chances, Isak included, and getting all of his attacking options fit and in form will be the main aim for Slot in the weeks and months to come.