Liverpool fear significant lower-leg injury for Isak after substitute goal vs Tottenham
MRI scans will determine how long the striker could be sidelined as Liverpool assess the setback to Alexander Isak.
Liverpool fear that Alexander Isak has sustained a significant lower-leg injury after he was forced off in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Tottenham. The Swede came off the bench to score the decisive goal, breaking the deadlock just after his shot was blocked, but he could not continue and was replaced soon after.<br><br>MRI scans were scheduled for Sunday to determine the extent of the damage and a precise timeframe for his return is expected to follow the results. Liverpool manager Arne Slot is set to speak at a news conference on Tuesday to provide an update on Isak’s condition.<br><br>Isak, 26, joined Liverpool from Newcastle in a record Premier League deal reportedly worth £125 million in September. He has scored only his second league goal of the season in 10 appearances and has largely struggled to adapt since arriving at Anfield. Earlier this summer, he was left out of Newcastle’s squad for their Asia pre-season tour with what the club described as a “minor thigh injury,” and there were reports he was open to moving on. He trained away from the first-team squad in the weeks leading up to his move, and arrived at Liverpool short of full match fitness, contributing to him starting just 10 games in all competitions so far.<br><br>Liverpool are also without Mohamed Salah, who is with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, and the injured Cody Gakpo. Hugo Ekitike, the 23-year-old forward who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer, started at Spurs and scored, and is expected to continue to lead the line for the Reds in the absence of Salah and Gakpo. Ekitike has 11 goals this season, with five coming in the last three league games, a run cited as a reason Isak began Saturday’s game on the bench.<br><br>As the club awaits MRI results, the broader picture remains that Liverpool are balancing immediate competition demands with a longer-term plan for Isak’s fitness and role. Slot’s remarks at the upcoming press conference will aim to clarify whether Isak’s injury is a short-term setback or something that could alter Liverpool’s attacking options for weeks to come.