Arne Slot has lifted the lid on Alexander Isak’s half-time substitution during Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening.
It wasn’t a “statement victory” according to Reds skipper Virgil van Dijk, but it was a necessary one, as Liverpool stopped the rut of their four-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.
After Frankfurt took the lead through former Leeds defender Rasmus Kristensen, goals from Hugo Ekitike, van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai ultimately put the German side to the sword.
And while Arne Slot’s side finally put an end to their nightmare run of form, £125million-man Isak’s woes continued. The Swedish star failed to find the net once more and saw himself hooked at half-time.
Just last week, Slot admitted that the former Newcastle man is finally up to speed after a summer off on Tyneside and subsequent groin struggles following his move to Anfield. However, those concerns re-emerged after the striker recorded discomfort in his groin again, causing the Dutch boss to withdraw him after just 45 minutes.
After the game, Slot spoke candidly on the injury of his record signing: “Alex was well prepared to play, but the margins are small. I am hoping this is not this bad. If he would be out for a few weeks, that would throw him back.
“He had to go off at half-time because he felt his groin a little bit. That's a pity. It’s such a difficult balance to find with a player who has missed three months; you bring him slowly. People argue to play him longer.
“Now we play him for the second time in three days, and he has to go off, let’s hope for the best.”
Arne Slot has lifted the lid on Alexander Isak’s half-time substitution during Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening
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Alexander Isak has scored once for Liverpool since his £125million move from Newcastle
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Dominik Szoboszlai capped off a successful evening for Liverpool as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1
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In his press conference later, Slot added: “Alex was a few times close but had to go off at half-time.
“Normally, you try to prepare players for once-a-week football, but if you are Liverpool, you play every three days or normally three times in eight days but we've been unfortunate this season, we have to play three times in seven days.
“We've tried to prepare him for that, we were really careful, and he was perfectly fit when he came back from the national team before the United game.”
The forward missed three months of the year after he refused to play for Newcastle throughout the summer to force a move to Liverpool. His solitary goal for the Reds so far came against Southampton during a 2-1 Carabao Cup victory last month.
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But while concerns around Isak remain, the £80m addition of Hugo Ekitike continues to impress. The Frenchman returned to his former club yesterday evening and replaced Mohamed Salah in the starting line-up.
The 23-year-old grabbed the equalising goal for Slot’s side, powering through the Frankfurt defence with a penetrating deep run before slotting the ball underneath the goalkeeper to net his sixth goal for the club.
Hugo Ekitike scored his sixth goal for Liverpool on the night
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And Slot heaped praise onto his new forward: “The first goal he scored was special. You can see his pace in a moment like that.
“We were able the last few weeks to create many, many, many, many chances. But unfortunately, we weren't always able to score them.
Arne Slot heaped praise onto new signing Hugo Ekitike after the game
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“And today with Alex and Hugo, I brought two players on the pitch who are usually able to score goals.”
Ekitike, who muted his celebrations in respect for his former club, said: “It was a great feeling. It was something special for me to come back, I would say at home. I know everyone here.
“It was important for me to come and score my first goal in the Champions League.
“I have so much respect for Frankfurt. They made me the player I am now. I wouldn’t be here without them.”