Alexander Isak has scored in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since January 2025, and Liverpool’s dependence on him is clear. With Hugo Ekitike sidelined until next year and Isak’s injury history well documented, Andoni Iraola must manage his minutes carefully before Arsenal visit Anfield on Sunday. According to Skysports.com.
Isak’s fitness is the foundation of Iraola’s Liverpool revival before Arsenal
Liverpool’s attack leans heavily on Isak. The 27-year-old has scored in every one of their league wins to date, and only Victor Munoz among his team-mates has more than one top-flight goal this season. His six goals in seven league outings leave him one behind Erling Haaland in the Premier League scoring chart.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher calls Isak “massively important because Liverpool are not a great goalscoring team right now”. He believes the full version of the player seen at Newcastle has probably not yet appeared, but expects it to come with more games and training sessions under Iraola, perhaps in the second half of the season.
The underlying numbers support the improvement. Isak is taking 3.15 shots per league game compared with 2.18, his xG per 90 has doubled from 0.33 to 0.67, and his strike rate of 0.95 goals per 90 minutes is second only to Haaland. Those figures track with his 27 goals in 42 games in his last season at St James’ Park.
Iraola is more interested in Isak’s pressing from the front than in his goal tally. He told Sky Sports in September: “My fights with him are more about other stuff, about how to help the team in all the situations.” Ahead of Arsenal’s visit, he repeated that he tells Isak to help the team so chances can be created.
Availability is the obvious risk. Isak missed four games with abductor pain in October and November last season, then spent 106 days out after his left leg was fractured in a challenge at Tottenham. On his return in May he was out for almost three weeks with more abductor issues and muscle strains, and finished with just three league goals.
Cover is thin. Ekitike is recovering from a long-term Achilles injury and is not set to return until next year, so Iraola often replaces Isak with Lewis Koumas late in games. Isak also missed the 3-0 home loss to Man City with a thigh problem suffered on international duty with Sweden.
His latest goal came in the 2-0 win over Brighton at Anfield, finished from the six-yard box after Bradley Barcola broke clear. The striker, signed for a British-record £125m, now meets champions Arsenal, who were interested in signing him in January 2025. Kick-off is 4.30pm on Sky Sports Premier League.
