Slot insists Liverpool striker Isak not ready for 90 minutes | OneFootball

Arne Slot has insisted Alexander Isak is not ready to play 90 minutes for Liverpool yet after the forward’s lack of pre-season.

Isak is set to make his first Premier League start for the Reds at Crystal Palace this weekend. The British record signing scored his first goal for the club in midweek during a 45-minute outing against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

A red card for Hugo Ekitike in the same fixture means the French forward is now suspended for this weekend’s game, leaving Isak as the club’s only senior striker. Despite that issue, Slot has said Liverpool will retain their patient approach with the record recruit.

“He is able to make minutes again but playing 90 depends on the pace and the intensity of the game. It might be a bit too much, not only for that but also for the long-term.

“You can give a player maybe one stupid hit to bring him to 90 but I don’t think it is smart to play him 90 yet.

“He is further into his pre-season now and normally after two or three weeks in a pre-season, players go to 60-70 minutes. Some clubs bring them to 90 but if you look at our pre-season, we mainly bring them to 60 or 70.”

Ekitike not fined despite ‘stupid’ Liverpool red card

Eitike’s red card against Southampton came after the forward removed his shirt after celebrating scoring the winning goal. Having already been booked, Slot called Ekitike’s shirtless celebration ‘stupid’ but dismissed reports the Frenchman has been fined.

“If disciplined means that I spoke to him but then it’s disciplined but I don’t think that. Disciplined means a fine and that he didn’t get.

“It wasn’t very smart what he did and what he recognised himself immediately. He said sorry to his team-mates straight away. He’s young and players of all ages make mistakes. That’s what he did but he we all mistakes and you are allowed at this club to make a mistake without immediately getting fines.

“He is a fantastic human being and I think if you talk to all the staff members and ask them the top three of the warmest person and most polite, I think he is in every staff member’s top three. Even if he wasn’t he is able to make a mistake.

“It wasn’t smart, it didn’t hurt us on Tuesday evening but it might hurt us a bit more tomorrow. The positive thing is, Federico Chiesa is showing himself at the moment so it’s a chance for him now to be on the bench and maybe play minutes with Hugo not being there.”

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