As he started at a new club, hot on the heels of a controversial exit from his previous club, Alexander Isak's beginning at Liverpool was nothing short of disastrous.
Having effectively gone on strike to force through a move from Newcastle United to Merseyside, the Swedish striker was in the spotlight last summer.
A lack of pre-season training meant he entered the campaign lacking sharpness. Things went from bad to worse when he broke his fibula just 14 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute – having just scored – during Liverpool's win at Tottenham Hotspur in December. It was only his 10th Premier League appearance of the season for Arne Slot's reigning champions.
He managed a meagre four goals in 22 appearances across competitions in his first season at Liverpool. The previous season, at Newcastle, Isak had scored 27 goals in 42 games. Serious questions were being asked about whether he could rediscover the scoring touch that encouraged Liverpool to fork out a British-record £125 million.
“It is quite an understatement to say he's had a tough year,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said of Isak in April. “But now he is fit, and we all know what he can bring, and he shows it in training and in games as well.
“It is about getting games, confidence, but obviously scoring goals as a striker – that's the main trigger for him. I'm not worried at all about him whatsoever.”
Slot was sacked over the summer – paying the price for a disappointing campaign, just one year after winning the title – and replaced by Andoni Iraola, who would need Isak to lead his line.
Fellow centre-forward Hugo Ekitike was expected to be out of action until December after rupturing his Achilles tendon in April's Uefa Champions League exit to holders Paris Saint-Germain, which also saw Isak make his first start in four months. As it turned out, Isak appears to be relishing the responsibility.
On Sunday, he was in the right place to prod home Bradley Barcola's cross to seal a 2-0 victory over an in-form Brighton side for what was the 27-year-old's sixth goal in seven Premier League games. Only Erling Haaland (nine in eight games) has scored more so far.
“I feel good, I feel like I’m in a good place,” said Isak last month. “It has been challenging, of course, with a lot of injuries especially. But there have been some beautiful moments as well, good learning moments. I take all of that as stuff to help me get better and get stronger, not looking back too much and just focusing on what’s ahead.”
Notably, all of Isak's goals have come inside the penalty area, with most in or around the six-yard box, showing his poaching skills are intact but, more importantly, Iraola is setting up the team to get the best out of his striker.
Ahead of their League Cup last-16 tie against Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday, the Reds manager talked about how Isak now “feels the trust of everyone” at the club following a tough start to his Anfield career.
“Everyone trusts [that] if he moves into good positions he will score goals,” the Spanish coach said. “But I always tell him he has to help us so we can give him the chances, and I think he understands that necessity. I hope that can continue at the same level.”
The victory over Brighton lifted Liverpool into the top four and above Chelsea, with Iraola ready to rotate his squad as they juggle a packed fixture schedule. “There will definitely be changes, but we want to win the game,” he added. “We want to be competitive.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, are still struggling for consistency under new manager and former Liverpool player Xabi Alonso, who is also a close friend of Iraola.
Alonso's team sit just one place and two points behind Liverpool in the Premier League, but fell to a frustrating London derby defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
The game at Stamford Bridge had been goalless for 77 minutes until 21-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders, making his first start after Emi Martinez suffered a fractured jaw, managed to punch the ball into his own net. That was quickly followed by Cole Palmer being sent off for a second booking, before a frustrating evening was completed by Mathys Tel making it 2-0 with three minutes left.
“We were not happy for sure with the result and performance,” admitted Alonso. “It was a big game, and it could have been better. Now we have moved on and the focus is just on Liverpool.”
It has been a rollercoaster start for Alonso, whose team have the third-highest goals tally in the top flight (17), but also the joint third-worst defensive record (with 15 conceded).
Alonso will be without the suspended Palmer for the trip north, while top scorer Joao Pedro, who missed the Spurs loss with a thigh problem, is set “to be out for a few weeks" according to the Spaniard.
“We will miss him [Pedro], but we have to be ready to deal with that and win games and be competitive with the players we have available … We have to be looking for solutions not for excuses.”
As for Palmer's red card, Alonso added: “We spoke and for sure he knows the mistake he made. There are things you can avoid. I hope this is not going to be repeated.”
