One Alexander Isak statistic v Nottingham Forest offers a very promising omen for Liverpool | OneFootball

Alexander Isak is among five players returning to the Liverpool starting XI for the Reds’ Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Swedish striker picked up a groin injury in the 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt a month ago, and while today represents his first club involvement since then, he had roughly half an hour on the pitch in his country’s defeat to Switzerland last weekend.

The 26-year-old replaces Hugo Ekitike at centre-forward as he goes in search of his first league goal since his £125m transfer at the end of the summer, although history is very much on his side as far as this afternoon’s opponents are concerned.

Isak has scored in each of his previous top-flight games v Forest

As per Transfermarkt, Isak has faced Nottingham Forest four times in the Premier League before today, and he scored in every one of those appearances.

He broke Garibaldi hearts in March 2023 by scoring on the stroke of half-time and full-time in a 2-1 victory for Newcastle at the City Ground. He was also on target in the teams’ next meeting on Boxing Day the following season, but the Magpies lost 3-1 at home that day.

Last term, the Swede netted the equaliser for Eddie Howe’s side in a 3-1 away win, and he provided two of the Geordies’ four goals (which all came in an 11-minute period) in a seven-goal thriller at St James’ Park in February.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

History suggests Isak will get first top-flight goal for Liverpool today!

It’s a big call by Arne Slot to omit Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool’s top scorer for the season so far and on the scoresheet for France during the international break, but the head coach wouldn’t have selected Isak if he didn’t deem the 26-year-old fit enough to start.

The Swedish marksman certainly has an excellent track record against Forest, and he won’t be able to repay his club-record transfer fee if he’s constantly having to rely on minutes off the bench.

How he links up with Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo either side of him in attack will be compelling to see, and it looks as though Curtis Jones will play just behind him, with Florian Wirtz out injured and Dominik Szoboszlai forced to cover at right-back for the stricken Conor Bradley.

Slot is paid to make big decisions, and that’s exactly what he’s done with his starting XI this afternoon. Isak has a perfect record against the Garibaldi to maintain, though, and this would be an ideal occasion to gte his first Premier League goal for Liverpool!

You can watch Slot’s full pre-Nottingham Forest press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: