Alexander Isak's debut has been delayed as Liverpool left the new signing out of their matchday squad to face Burnley on Sunday amid the striker's fitness concerns. Isak, who joined Liverpool for a British record £125m fee on deadline day, hardly trained during pre-season with Newcastle. Arne Slot named the same starting lineup that beat Arsenal in their last game.
Isak left out of Liverpool squad
Isak, who is yet to reach full fitness, has been left out of the Reds' squad to face Burnley as Slot named an unchanged starting lineup at Turf Moor. Isak went on strike and was banished from Newcastle's first-team training in pre-season. As a result, the Sweden international did not get to train properly and is yet to gain full match fitness.
AdvertisementWhy isn't Isak in the Liverpool squad?
Explaining his decision to keep Isak out of the team, Slot told , "As everyone knew, he didn't have any team training at Newcastle, then went to the national team and only played 15 or 20 minutes. We think, with a week where we play three games in seven days, this is the best lead-up for him to be available against Atletico Madrid."
Getty Images SportFrimpong back in Reds fold
Jeremie Frimpong, who picked up an injury during the Reds' season opener against Bournemouth, missed the club's next two Premier League games against Newcastle and Arsenal, but has now returned to the matchday squad and will start from the bench against Burnley. In the Dutch full-back's absence, Dominik Szoboszlai has been playing as a make-shift right-back.
Liverpool heavily depend on Ekitike
In Isak's absence, the English champions will continue to depend on French forward Hugo Ekitike for goals, who has already equalled Daniel Sturridge's 12-year-long goalscoring record by scoring in his first three matches for the Reds.