Mark Lawrenson suggests that Alexander Isak should be given a break from playing alongside his impressive Liverpool teammate, Hugo Ekitike. Isak, a 26-year-old striker, made a late move to Anfield after leaving St James’ Park under controversial circumstances. Despite his arrival, Isak has faced challenges with fitness and injuries, affecting his performance since joining the Premier League champions. Isak’s only goal for Liverpool came during a Carabao Cup match against Southampton.
Although Isak started a game against Nottingham Forest after a month on the bench, his performance was disappointing, leading to calls for him to be benched in the upcoming Champions League match against PSV. Lawrenson, a former Liverpool defender, recommended that Isak be replaced by Ekitike, emphasizing Isak’s lack of fitness. Lawrenson highlighted the difficulty of getting players match-fit solely through training without game experience.
Regarding the pressure on manager Arne Slot, Lawrenson acknowledged the challenges but expressed confidence in Slot’s job security. He emphasized the importance of improving defensive performance to avoid conceding goals easily. In contrast, Wayne Rooney believes that Isak should be given more opportunities to regain his form, despite the scrutiny. Rooney mentioned that new signings might feel pressure to outperform previous players and emphasized the need for Isak to find his scoring touch through consistent game time.
Rooney also praised Ekitike’s impact and expressed his belief that Isak needs patience to rediscover his goal-scoring form. Rooney empathized with the frustration Isak might be experiencing during his goal drought. Rooney noted that apart from Ekitike, none of the summer signings have fully delivered, indicating potential discontent if players like Ekitike are left out of the starting lineup.