Isak still not ready, says Liverpool boss Slot, but may face Atletico
Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Liverpool - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - September 14, 2025 Liverpool's Alexander Isak scarf on display outside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
BURNLEY :Liverpool fans were denied the chance to watch British record signing Alexander Isak in action as he was left out of the match-day squad for Sunday's 1-0 victory at Burnley, but manager Arne Slot said they will not have to wait long.
Slot confirmed the Swedish forward, signed on deadline day for 125 million pounds ($169.45 million) from Newcastle United, was still not up to speed after playing barely any minutes this season.
But the Dutchman hinted he is likely to play some part against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"Alex is far from ready for that schedule of three games in a week," Slot told reporters after his side's last-gasp Premier League victory at Turf Moor secured by a Mohamed Salah penalty.
"But then we could use him today for five minutes and then Wednesday again 10, and then 15, but we don't believe that is the way to build him up. Sweden did the right thing of giving him good sessions without playing him a lot because if you play the player you cannot give him good sessions.
"They did the right thing and we did the same, so now he will be able either Wednesday or Saturday to play 45 as a minimum, and maybe a little bit more. But if he plays 45 on Wednesday don't expect him to play 45 or more on Saturday because his body is not prepared for that."
After effectively being frozen out by Newcastle after making clear his desire to join Liverpool, Isak's only action so far this season was a 20-minute cameo off the bench for Sweden in a 2-0 defeat by Kosovo in a World Cup qualifier this week.
Liverpool certainly could have done with a fit and firing Isak against a stubborn Burnley side who were agonisingly close to holding out for a point despite having Lesley Ugochukwu sent off in the 84th minute.
But a handball by Hannibal Mejbri in stoppage time allowed Salah to score from the spot and make it four wins from four for the reigning Premier League champions.
Liverpool's four wins - against Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Arsenal and now Burnley - have all come thanks to goals scored beyond the 80-minute mark.
It is the first time in Premier League history a side has won four successive games so late.
"If we had scored (early), the game may have been open but because we didn't, they did the same thing. We had to wait until the end phase of the second half and in the final stages we got what were hoping for," Slot said.
"We needed a moment of luck, or a moment of magic. We didn't have the magic but we had the luck."
($1 = 0.7377 pounds)
