More Alexander Isak bad news issued as Conor Bradley's problems flare up again
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Mohamed Salah netted twice in Egypt's 3-0 triumph over Djibouti, securing his nation's place in next year's competition.However, it wasn't all wins for the Reds' representatives. Alexander Isak's Sweden suffered a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland, and Kostas Tsimikas, currently on loan at Roma, scored in his side's 3-1 loss to Scotland, led by Andy Robertson.READ MORE: Liverpool sent January message over Marc Guehi transfer amid Virgil van Dijk fearsREAD MORE: Ibrahima Konate released from France squad as Liverpool injury concerns continueLiverpool's record signing had a difficult night, still yet to score a league goal for his new club.
Echo Sport provides updates on all the latest news concerning Liverpool's international stars.Alexander Isak criticismThe 26-year-old striker made his first start for Sweden since joining Liverpool last month but it was a forgettable one as their loss to Switzerland left them languishing at the bottom of Group B with just a single point.Partnering Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres up front, Sweden boasted a formidable attacking duo, yet neither striker could find their rhythm as their failure to inspire the nation to triumph drew sharp criticism from the Swedish press.Both forwards managed zero shots on target across the full 90 minutes, though Isak - wearing the captain's armband for the first time - struck the woodwork in the opening period after squandering a golden opportunity from close range.Fotbollskanalen delivered a harsh 2/5 assessment of Isak's display, noting: "Missed a huge chance when the ball hit the post. However, did not succeed very often with his actions."Isak's Anfield journey has yet to truly ignite, with the forward managing just one goal across six club outings, though he'll get the chance to silence his critics when Sweden welcome Kosovo on Monday.Conor Bradley's worrying trend rolls onConor Bradley has been showered with praise following his standout performance in Northern Ireland's 2-0 triumph over Slovakia on Friday.
The Liverpool defender played for 92 minutes at Windsor Park, completing the most dribbles (five) and winning the most duels (14), helping to propel his country to second place in Group A.However, the 22-year-old national team captain will be feeling a touch of disappointment as his late yellow card means he'll be sitting out their Monday night face-off against group leaders, Germany.This latest booking brings his tally to seven in just 12 appearances for both club and country this season - a worrying disciplinary record less than three months into the season.His propensity for picking up yellow cards has impacted his playing time this season, with only three league starts under his belt. The 24-year-old has clocked just 79 minutes of league play this season, but his versatility undoubtedly makes him a valuable member of the squad.Having featured as a wing-back throughout much of his Bayer Leverkusen stint, the Dutch international is equally capable of operating as a winger - the role he occupied during the Reds' 1-0 Champions League loss to Galatasaray.It was on the right flank where he was deployed in the Netherlands' 4-0 thrashing of Malta on Thursday, though his display divided observers.