Alexander Isak is a serious doubt to face Manchester United for Liverpool in Sunday’s Previous Trafford showdown.
In a hammer blow for Arne Slot and the Reds, who’re already with out Mo Salah and Hugo Ekitike, the £130m striker is no longer anticipated to play.
Isak is known to have suffered a groin harm in coaching this week in one other setback to what has been a nightmare first marketing campaign with the Premier League champions.
He’s set to endure a scan to evaluate the extent of the issue.
Isak solely returned to the fold final month having damaged his leg in December and he additionally suffered health points earlier within the season, primarily brought on by his lack of a pre-season as he pressured by means of British-record switch from Newcastle.
Isak has been tormented by harm points earlier than and the timing of this one is abysmal for Slot and the participant himself.
Alexander Isak (centre) is a serious doubt to face Man United on Sunday for Liverpool
The 26-year-old has made solely 13 begins at Liverpool within the Premier League and scored thrice.
However he confirmed a flash of his means final weekend, ending properly to attain the opener at Anfield towards Crystal Palace. This newest setback appears like it is going to once more deny him the prospect to construct up rhythm and health.
Liverpool and Man United are each closing in on Champions League qualification however are aiming to complete in third spot.
The Previous Trafford showdown will go a protracted method to deciding which of the fierce rivals is in a position to take action and if Isak does certainly miss the sport as anticipated, Slot will probably be all the way down to the naked bones in assault.
Salah suffered a muscle harm within the victory over Palace final weekend however is predicted to return earlier than the tip of the season.
Ekitike is out for the long run having suffered an Achilles rupture towards PSG final month that may even preserve him on the remedy desk for a piece of subsequent season.
It means Slot must rethink his plans and probably play Cody Gakpo up entrance or Florian Wirtz as a false 9.
United are aiming to do the double over their outdated rivals having received at Anfield earlier within the season.
Liverpool will probably be determined for Isak to remain wholesome on the World Cup and have a correct pre-season, with the membership counting on him to fill the targets void to be left by Salah when the legendary Egyptian departs this summer time.
Earlier within the week, Slot defined that in signing any alternative for Salah, the membership want to consider how Isak will profit.
‘[Getting the most from Isak] is certainly a part of desirous about the [Salah] alternative,’ he stated.
Isak scored final weekend however his nightmare season has suffered one other setback
‘As a result of since I’ve been right here – and it’s the identical at lots of golf equipment – it’s primarily a left footer on the correct and a proper footer on the left.
‘I’ve seen Alex scoring additionally rather a lot from crosses which have been performed from the correct, proper footed, Trent Alexander-Arnold crosses, if you wish to name them like that.
‘So that’s positively a part of how we’re issues, however we attempt to signal the absolute best accessible participant who we are able to afford.
‘One thing else which additionally occurs at sure golf equipment is: ‘OK, that’s the greatest participant on this planet in that place, let’s try to get him.’
‘That’s not how we work, we try to signal the absolute best participant who is out there for us.’
