Isak nets first Liverpool goal as Slot rotates on Cup night against Southampton

Alexander Isak scored his first Liverpool goal in their Carabao Cup third-round tie with Southampton at Anfield on Wednesday night, a milestone for a striker who joined Liverpool for a British-record £125 million this summer. Isak was handed a start by manager Arne Slot as he continues to build up his fitness after a disrupted summer that saw him on strike at Newcastle while attempting to force through a move. The Dutch coach rotated his squad heavily, naming 11 changes, with the Sweden forward among those selected to start.

Isak's goal came just moments before half-time after Southampton tried to play out from the back. Federico Chiesa pounced on a loose ball from Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and delivered a low ball across the box, where Isak stabbed the finishing touch from close range to spark jubilant scenes inside Anfield. He wheeled away to celebrate with a wide grin as teammates crowded around him.

Isak had earlier threatened within a minute, forcing a save from McCarthy after latching on to a ball in the box. That late first-half involvement was among the last actions of his lengthy cameo before Slot withdrew him at half-time and sent on Hugo Ekitke to help manage his fitness for the rest of the night.

Slot had spoken after Isak's debut against Atletico Madrid that he was pleasantly surprised by the 60-minute fitness display. 'In the 60 minutes he played he seemed to be quite fit to me,' Slot said, noting he did not expect Isak to run out of gas after such a short time in team sessions. 'He could play at this level quite well after one or two weeks of team sessions.' Slot added that Liverpool would tread carefully, stressing that 'we have two great number nines and we're going to use both of them throughout their career here' to keep expectations in check.

Isak then came off the bench for the final 23 minutes of the Merseyside derby victory over Everton on Saturday, a close reminder of the congested schedule facing Liverpool as they prepare for a demanding run in both domestic cup competitions and the league.

Looking ahead, Liverpool are scheduled for three away trips in the next 10 days, heading to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea before the October international break. The fixture list will test Slot's plans for rotation as he continues to build fitness and integrate Isak into a side chasing trophies while balancing workload for a stretched squad.