Liverpool enjoyed a memorable Wednesday night as they dismantled Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1, but for Alexander Isak, the trip to Germany was personally frustrating. The club’s record signing made his eighth appearance but remains on just one goal this season. While Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo both found the net at Deutsche Bank Park, the Swedish forward was taken off at half-time.
Isak had one decent chance denied by Michael Zetterer and forced another strong save, but his substitution wasn’t due to poor performance.
Slot explains Isak’s early substitution
After the match, Arne Slot revealed that Isak was withdrawn because he began feeling discomfort in his groin during the first half.
“He had to go off at half-time because he felt his groin a little bit,” Slot told TNT Sports. “It’s unfortunate. I’ve said many times that it’s a difficult balance with a player who missed three months. You want to build him up slowly, but people argue he should play more. We’ve played him twice in three days, and sadly he had to come off. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious—it’s always a tough balance when someone’s been out for so long.”
Hoping for good news
Apart from conceding once, Liverpool’s only negatives on the night were the injuries to Isak and Jeremie Frimpong, who could miss up to six weeks with a hamstring issue.
Slot’s decision to replace Isak at the break was a precaution, mindful that the 26-year-old didn’t have a full pre-season while finalizing his move from Newcastle.
The extent of Isak’s groin problem is yet to be confirmed, and his availability for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Brentford remains uncertain. Liverpool fans will be hoping the issue is minor and that Slot’s quick decision spared the striker from a longer layoff.
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