“That sums up this season a lot,” said Arne Slot. It is a sentiment he has started to voice often, particularly in the context of injuries. On Saturday, though, he felt the emblematic element was that Alexander Isak’s first Premier League goal for Liverpool at home came at the end of April. Even Nordi Mukiele and Axel Disasi had struck for Liverpool in the top flight on Merseyside before Isak, albeit not deliberately.
“It is quite an understatement to say he’s had a tough year,” said captain Virgil van Dijk. “The injuries he had and the timing of it has been bad.” True, though neither Liverpool nor Isak are blameless in that. He decided to go on strike at Newcastle, and they chose to spend £125m on an injury-prone striker who had not had a pre-season. When injuries and ineffectual performances followed from a semi-fit forward, it was not misfortune alone.
