Slot cautious on Isak's readiness for Liverpool-Everton clash
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Liverpool v Atletico Madrid - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - September 17, 2025 Liverpool manager Arne Slot reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/ File Photo
LIVERPOOL, England : Liverpool manager Arne Slot kept his cards close to his chest on the possibility of Alexander Isak starting Saturday's Merseyside derby against Everton, saying Britain's record signing is likely still feeling the effects of his long-awaited return to action.
The Sweden striker played an hour of Wednesday's 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in his first significant action in months due to his dispute with Newcastle United and prolonged move to Liverpool.
"We just have to see how they all feel," Slot said ahead of Friday afternoon's training. "All I know is Alex probably felt his body more than ever before after the 60 minutes he played, so let's see how he recovered today, then we will see about the lineup later today and you will see tomorrow."
Slot also addressed the possibility of pairing Isak with close-season signing Hugo Ekitike up front, a combination that could offer the champions a new attacking dimension.
"If both of them are in the best form of their life then you consider more to play them together," Slot said. "It's quite clear that we have a certain structure of 4-3-3, but the amount of times ... where we have ended the game with two nines has happened a lot as well."
Liverpool are the only Premier League team with a perfect record, sitting atop the table with four wins from four games, while Everton are sixth after a solid start to the season.
Slot knows the derby atmosphere at Anfield on Saturday will be electric, but said the respect Everton showed after the death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car accident in July adds another emotional layer to the match.
Everton striker Beto, who was born in Lisbon, and the club's former Portuguese player Youssef Chermiti, now at Rangers, were among the Toffees who visited Anfield to pay their respects in the days immediately following Portugal striker Jota's death.
"They are a good team and there is rivalry but what I also liked and what I want to emphasise is what they did when Diogo passed away, coming to Anfield," Slot said.
"It's so nice to see that in tragedies the rivalry is still there but the respect to both is still there."
Slot has several Merseyside derby "debutants," but laughed at suggestions he would need to prepare them for the atmosphere.
"For the new ones it is not for the first time that they play in circumstances where there are a lot of rivalries and intensity in the game."
