Teddy Sheringham has declared Alexander Isak the best central striker in the Premier League, even in the shadow of Erling Haaland's dazzling scoring record. The ex-England forward is confident the Swedish international has bounced back to his best form following a challenging debut season at Liverpool.
While Haaland has netted an impressive 169 goals in 205 appearances for Manchester City, Sheringham is more captivated by the range of qualities Isak brings to the table.
In his own words:
I really like Alexander Isak and what he contributes to the team as a central forward.
Last season, he clearly struggled, but the whole situation at Liverpool was flawed. Even the two-striker system wasn’t working for anyone.
For me, he’s the best striker in the Premier League. He’s phenomenal. I would love to see him win the Golden Boot this year — not just because he might best Erling Haaland, but due to the way Isak plays and how desperately he wants to score.
Isak joined Liverpool from Newcastle in the summer of 2025 for £125 million, but he faced a tough first season where injuries limited him to just four goals across all competitions. This season, he has already equated that tally.
Sheringham was particularly impressed by Isak's recent goals against Ipswich:
I love how he conducts himself on the pitch. He wants to score and knows exactly how to do it. His goals against Ipswich were magnificent.
The rest of the Premier League should be concerned. It looks like he’s back in peak form: quick to strike — and bang, it’s a goal.
Furthermore, Sheringham noted Isak's movements within the penalty area. He believes that many instances which appear as simple rebounds are actually a result of the Swedish forward's excellent positioning:
He knows where the goal is from any angle. Inside the box, he’s superb: always in the right place at the right time and ready to pounce on any loose ball.
While other strikers might just wait at the penalty spot, he keeps an eye on the play and is constantly on the move. We saw this in the match against Bournemouth.
It might seem like the ball fortuitously fell to him, but he was there because of his movement. All these are signs of a striker with a real instinct for goals, someone who can become the best in the world at what he does.
Fans will soon be able to see these two forwards go head-to-head directly: after the international break, Haaland's Manchester City will visit Isak's Liverpool at Anfield.
