Slot, Alisson deliver mixed messages over Isak injury as Liverpool face anxious wait, ‘just a gut feeling’ | OneFootball

Arne Slot admits he has a bad ‘gut feeling’ about Alexander Isak’s injury after Liverpool’s battling 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, while goalkeeper Alisson was in a much more positive frame of mind when it comes to how long the Swedish striker could be sidelined.

The home side were reduced to 10 men in the first half with Xavi Simons’ red card and Liverpool had to wait until the 56th minute to open the scoring through substitute Isak, although it came at a potentially massive loss.

After meeting Florian Wirtz’s pass, Liverpool frontman Isak was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Micky van de Ven as he finished empathically past Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Isak received treatment on the pitch and was then replaced by Jeremie Frimpong, before Liverpool went on to double their lead through Hugo Ekitike before Richarlison’s goal in the 83rd minute set up a nervy finish for Slot’s side.

“I don’t have any news on him,” Slot said of Isak after Liverpool’s win. “But if a player scores and then gets injured and doesn’t come back on the pitch, and also doesn’t try to come back, which Conor Bradley for example did but I had to take him out as well because he couldn’t go on, but if a player doesn’t try to come back that’s usually not a good thing.

“But I cannot say anything more than that, that is just gut feeling, nothing medical.”

Asked if Isak had his own feeling about his injury, Slot replied: “Haven’t spoken to him about that yet.

“It’s a good thing he scored, a good goal, assisted by Florian Wirtz, I said last week players are getting better, the team is getting better, again, wasn’t perfect today, especially in the last 10 minutes but in the meantime we pick up points and I see the team developing in a way I’d like to see.”

In his post-match interview, Alisson was at least more upbeat on Isak’s injury.

“I think he will be okay,” Alisson told Stadium Astro.

“Happy for him for scoring the goal but, of course, we don’t want him to be injured.

“Hopefully it’s just a knock, nothing too serious because he can help our team so much with his quality.”

Slot happy to avoid Elland Road repeat

Meanwhile, Slot admitted to being relieved at getting over the line in north London, especially given how much nine-man Tottenham were pushing for an unlikely equaliser late in the match.

The victory came just a fortnight after the Reds threw away 2-0 and 3-2 leads at Elland Road against Leeds, who grabbed a dramatic 96th-minute equaliser.

And, when speaking on having the same feeling as Elland Road, Slot added: “It was eleven v eleven there but we had nine minutes added again there.

“I think here that was completely fine with the injury treatments, VAR, so I can’t complain at all about he nine minutes. They were close. They came close a few times.

“It’s unbelievable if you play against nine men that I would not be surprised if for the nine minutes they had the ball for eight and half. That is not what you expect and maybe that tells you where we are in this season.

“We need a few more wins to get a bit more comfortable with setbacks. The thing that keeps in your mind is the last ten minutes but there was a lot more to like in the first 80-90 minutes.”

Liverpool have been given hope that a deal for a player seen as a dream successor for Virgil van Dijk could be on next summer after sources revealed the player is ready to alter his stance over a potential exit from his current club.

Elsewhere, the Reds are poised to go head-to-head with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund over the signing of one of European football’s most in-form strikers this season.

Finally, stunning claims Alexander Isak could be sold after just one season at Liverpool have been made, with one observer explaining why the form of another Reds attacker could prove decisive.