Isak’s first season at Liverpool has been frustrating for everyone involved, and his absence at Aston Villa only added to that feeling.
The club-record signing has made just 22 appearances in all competitions, which puts him in a similar range to squad players, injury-hit options and back-up goalkeepers.
Now Arne Slot has explained why the Sweden international could still return against Brentford next weekend.
Speaking in his post-match press conference via Liverpoolfc.com, Slot was asked whether Isak could feature in the final game of the season.
The Liverpool boss said: “Yes, there will definitely be a chance. He missed pre-season as we all know and then he broke his leg.
“We’ve tried to be as careful as we could with him, taking into account that our other No.9, Hugo Ekitike, is out for such a long time, so we needed him as a result of that even more.”
Slot then added: “I expect him to train with us this week, but I cannot give any guarantees.”
That uncertainty sums up a difficult campaign for the 26-year-old, who has never really been able to build rhythm since arriving from Newcastle.
A disrupted pre-season put him behind, a broken leg made things worse and Ekitike’s Achilles injury then increased the pressure on him just as Liverpool needed a reliable No.9.
Stephen Warnock has already delivered a brutal assessment of Isak’s season, saying: “Isak’s a two out of 10, isn’t he?”
The former defender added: “He’s done nothing. He hasn’t contributed at all.”
Chris Sutton was similarly dismissive a few weeks ago, saying: “I wouldn’t touch Isak, and Wirtz – terrible, terrible.”
That criticism feels harsh when injuries have clearly shaped Isak’s season, but it also reflects the reality that Liverpool paid a huge fee and haven’t had anything close to enough return.
With Champions League football still not fully secured after the Villa defeat, even a short Brentford cameo could matter.
But next season simply has to be different, because Liverpool can’t afford for such an expensive signing to remain this peripheral.
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