Alexander Isak 'affecting' Liverpool team-mates with Reds ace 'not helping himself'

Alexander Isak's summer standoff with Newcastle United is said to be affecting Liverpool as the Swedish striker battles to regain full fitness. His record-breaking move to Anfield dominated headlines during the summer window. Isak downed tools for the Magpies, claiming Eddie Howe's team had made 'broken promises' in a social media statement.

Having skipped pre-season training and the opening matches of the campaign, Liverpool eventually forked out £125million for a player who lacked the fitness to complete 90 minutes at the season's start. Following eight outings for the Reds, Isak was omitted from Liverpool's squad for their encounter with Brentford because of a groin problem.

Chris Sutton, the former Blackburn Rovers striker, believes this stems from the forward's choice to down tools during his final period at Newcastle.

In his BBC Sport column, Sutton wrote: "It feels like what has happened to him is a case of you reap what you sow. Isak has been short of full fitness and especially sharpness all season anyway.

"He did not help himself there by missing training with Newcastle in order to try to force his move to Anfield through.

"He got what he wanted, but now he is trying to play catch-up instead of hitting the ground running because of the time he had off, and that is when you can pick up injuries.

"Isak is too good a player not to eventually start scoring goals but this whole situation has affected Liverpool as a team too, because his lack of fitness is one of the reasons they have not clicked in the final third yet."

Whilst Isak has been settling in at Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike has netted six times and provided one assist across his first 13 outings for the Reds following his £79m switch from Frankfurt.

The two high-profile strikers were expected to engage in an epic tussle for the main frontman position, eager to establish themselves as Arne Slot's preferred option.

At present, Ekitike seems to be prevailing in that contest, despite Liverpool shelling out an extra £46m for Isak.

Speaking earlier this week, Slot said: "When he [Isak] came, he hardly had trained.

"You try to prepare players for once-a-week football, but if you are Liverpool and you play every three days, or normally three times in eight days, then you try to prepare them for that programme.

"It is not always so easy if you don't have pre-season, so that's what we tried to do. He missed out on pre-season and didn't train for a long time with the team.