Alexander Isak is set to miss Liverpool's critical match against Manchester City due to a thigh injury. The Swedish striker has left national team duty early to return to his club, with manager Andoni Iraola confirming his absence for Sunday’s fixture, though recovery timelines remain uncertain.
This is a significant blow for Liverpool, who are already without Hugo Ekitike due to injury, and Cody Gakpo is also nursing a setback.
Since joining from Newcastle for a fee exceeding £125 million, Isak has struggled to maintain fitness, having appeared in just 14 Premier League matches last season, with only eight starts to his name.
Across all competitions, Liverpool have played 57 games, yet Isak has only managed to feature from the outset in 13 of them.
This perspective highlights just how remarkable his last full season with Newcastle was. During the 2024/25 campaign, Isak participated in 42 of the team's 48 matches, starting 41 across all tournaments.
In the Premier League, he began 34 fixtures — only Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn saw more starting appearances for Newcastle that season.
As a result, English media conversations are increasingly suggesting that Newcastle's medical team performed wonders, with their work allowing the club to get significantly more from Isak.
The stark reality remains: since his transfer to Liverpool, Isak has found himself unavailable far too often. This latest injury has once again denied Andoni Iraola one of his key attacking options ahead of an essential encounter with Manchester City.
