'Alexander Isak has no more Liverpool excuses - Manchester United game is made for him'

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The first part of John Aldridge's ECHO column looks at Alexander Isak's situation and Sunday's visit from Manchester UnitedThe Liverpool FC, Tranmere and Republic of Ireland great, Aldo's lively and opinionated weekly column on LFC is a must read for all Reds fans.After over a month as a Liverpool player, it's time now for Alexander Isak to come to the party.It's fair to say there have been explanations rather than excuses as to why he is not up to 100% after arriving at the club under-cooked on the back of having no pre-season at Newcastle United.But having said that, the other side of the international break means he should be able to show exactly why he is the £125m man at Anfield.READ MORE: Ryan Gravenberch hands Arne Slot injury concern as Liverpool man 'doesn't feel good'READ MORE: Liverpool paid price for being 'too show-offy' after Champions League showdownIsak still has the ability to bag 20 to 30 goals for Liverpool this season but the sooner he moves away from all the talk of needing to get fit, the sooner he will be able to start contributing properly for Arne Slot and do what he was signed for.During my playing days, people used to talk of needing a month or so to get up to match fitness over the summer and Isak will have had about six or seven weeks by the time Manchester United arrive at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.OK, the games he has been involved in for Liverpool so far have all had something riding on them because they were not friendly fixtures but it feels like the international break for Sweden will have helped him get fitter at club level.But now is the time for him to deliver. It's United up next and there is no better time or team to show why you are one of the main men now at a club the size of Liverpool.Having said that, I think Arne Slot has got to find a way to get both Isak and Hugo Ekitike in the side.

That is something for the Reds boss to wrestle with because Ekitike has started the season superbly and you need the best performing players in the team.Ekitike is capable of being a 20-goal-a-season man for Liverpool if he features regularly and the way he has played so far has shown how much potential he has at the age of 23 and now a fully-fledged France international.Manchester United game ideal for Liverpool nowIt's difficult to say who needs the win more this weekend as Manchester United travel to Liverpool for the biggest club fixture in world football.On the one hand, I'd suggest that Ruben Amorim, who is under the cosh at Old Trafford, needs the victory more than Arne Slot does.Amorim has endured a torrid time as United manager and a win at Anfield would be a massive result and could even prove to be a turning point in his career in Manchester.But from the two clubs' perspective, Liverpool need this win more than United. The Reds are Premier League champions for a reason and they are going for the title once more, so failure to secure a win against a side they are light years ahead of on the pitch right now would be a bitter blow to take, even more so on the back three straight defeats.United only really have the FA Cup to play for now.

They are not in Europe, they are out of the Carabao Cup and probably only have an outside shout of finishing inside the Champions League spots.So it is Liverpool who need this more than United this weekend, no question.And look, they are there for the taking. United are no great shakes at the moment and while they have some good players who can hurt you going forward, defensively they are poor and the midfield must be the area Liverpool will look to dominate on Sunday.Bruno Fernandes is their best player and there's no doubt he makes them tick but I've seen put in some abysmal showings at Anfield in the past and one was when we beat them 7-0.