Ian Doyle with the main talking point after Liverpool earned Premier League victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening
It should have been the moment that truly kickstarted Alexander Isak’s spluttering Liverpool career into life. Instead, the British record transfer signing now finds himself having to contend with another devastating setback since his £125million move from Newcastle United.
For a split second there was compelling evidence of exactly why the Reds had gone big in the summer window, Isak running on to an inviting pass from £116m arrival Florian Wirtz before slipping the ball beyond Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to finally break the resistance of the 10-man home team.
He’d only been on the pitch 11 minutes. But as Liverpool boss Arne Slot punched the air in delight on the touchline, concern was already being raised for the well-being of the stricken Isak, who remained prone on the turf in agony as his team-mates quickly realised all was not well.
OPINION
In the process of scoring, the forward had been wiped out by a dangerous sliding challenge from Micky van de Ven, Isak’s ankle caught between the legs of the Tottenham defender. Replays indicated it did not look good.
Sure enough, after a lengthy period of treatment, Isak was helped off the pitch before disappearing down the tunnel. While Liverpool are waiting for an official prognosis, the outlook looks gloomy. An extended spell on the sidelines awaits.
Isak would be the first to admit part of the responsibility for his difficult opening as a Reds player. But seemingly no amount of money can avoid the rank bad luck that has befallen the Sweden international this season.
Isak, again benched, had been introduced at half-time to help provide greater support for Hugo Ekitike, a forward partnership that has been seen only fleetingly but from which Liverpool have nevertheless gained some of their more impressive results this term.
Indeed, it was Ekitike who ultimately decided this contest midway through the second half, too strong for Cristian Romero when showing the desire to reach substitute Jeremie Frimpong’s deflected cross and head a looping effort in off the woodwork.
A fifth goal in his last three Premier League outings and an 11th of the season in all competitions, Ekitike is producing the numbers that may have been expected from Isak.
Now the junior partner will once again have to shoulder the burden as Slot, already shorn of Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah, find his attacking options restricted further. Isak, though, surely now deserves a change of fortune.