Alexander Isak urged to 'step up' after debut Liverpool season ruined by injury
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Liverpool.com or go back to LFC Live.
Alexander Isak will be eager to put a nightmare first season at Liverpool behind him as the Reds prepare to host Brentford in their final home Premier League game of the campaignAlexander Isak has endured a tough debut season at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)There will be mixed emotions at Anfield on Sunday.However, one Liverpool player in particular will simply be relieved to be saying hello once more. While heartfelt send-offs will be extended, at minimum, to the outgoing Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, there will be little hesitation in bidding farewell to a grueling campaign for Arne Slot's squad.Leading that charge will surely be Alexander Isak, following the most wretched season of his career since his £125 million ($167.8 million) British record move from Newcastle in September.
At times, Isak must have wondered whether the transfer was worth all the upheaval, having spectacularly fallen out with the Magpies faithful over his insistence on forcing through a move to Anfield.READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news as $81M midfielder eyed and clear Mateus Mane message sentREAD MORE: Andy Robertson reveals Trent Alexander-Arnold gift nearly left him in tears before Liverpool exitFitness concerns and injuries have limited Isak to just 13 starts and nine substitute appearances, yielding four goals and one assist during that period.The fanbase's tolerance has indeed been tested in recent weeks, with Isak having sat out two of the past three fixtures - the losses at Manchester United and Aston Villa - due to minor muscular niggles.With the World Cup — for which Sweden qualified via the playoffs backdoor, having finished bottom of its qualifying group — now just weeks away, suspicions have emerged that the player may be deliberately protecting his fitness ahead of the tournament.Isak will be expected to perform next season(Image: Getty Images)In all fairness, a few niggles were always to be expected given the lengthy spell he spent on the sidelines following the broken leg sustained at Tottenham shortly before Christmas.Nevertheless, it will be crucial for the striker to prove his fitness and secure a starting berth for the Premier League finale at home to Brentford this weekend.For one thing, while only a highly unlikely combination of results can deny Liverpool a Champions League place, a goal or two from Isak in a Reds victory would go some way toward justifying his transfer fee and helping to secure their spot among Europe's finest.It would also serve as a timely reminder of precisely why Liverpool invested so heavily in his services, and why next season's squad will be tailored to maximize his goal-scoring prowess."Alexander Isak hasn't looked good for Liverpool in their system," said ex-Swedish player Anders Limpar, speaking to Betano Online Casino. It's not his fault, it's the whole club's fault if they don't succeed.
It's the manager, all the players, and the staff."You can't just point to Alexander Isak as the sole reason why Liverpool hasn't been successful. That's not fair, especially with an injury like this.