![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_GettyImages-2235987954.jpg\")
Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are both vying for a place in the Liverpool attack<\/p>\nAlexander Isak has been called up for Sweden duty by new boss Graham Potter, but the former Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham boss says he won’t start both matchesAlexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are both vying for a place in the Liverpool attack<\/p>\n
Alexander Isak is back in the Sweden squad, but he won’t be taking a full part in both of his country’s games over the international break.<\/p>\n
New Sweden boss Graham Potter has acknowledged that Isak is still nursing the injury which has kept him out of Liverpool’s last four matches<\/a>, but he is hopeful of seeing him in the squad for Sunday’s trip to Manchester City.<\/p>\n \u201cAlex is not ready to play 90 minutes in two games in four days,” said Potter ahead of games against Switzerland and Slovenia. “But he is available and I look forward to meeting him. We\u2019ll see this weekend. Hopefully he can play against Manchester City (on Sunday) and be with us in Malaga (at a training camp).”<\/p>\n READ MORE: Alexander Isak injury latest as Liverpool return date set – ‘Not ready’<\/a>READ MORE: Michael Owen questions Liverpool summer signing after Arne Slot U-turn<\/a><\/p>\n Arne Slot will provide the latest on Isak’s fitness at Friday morning’s press conference, and while a start against City would be considered unlikely, the former Newcastle forward will face a battle to establish himself in the Reds team after the international break.<\/p>\n Is that a battle he can win? We asked our writers what they think.<\/p>\n Ian Doyle<\/p>\n Not many would have thought a week into November there would be debate over whether Alexander Isak should be starting for Liverpool. But then much of the summer spending spree hasn’t gone exactly to plan for Arne Slot, for a variety of reasons.<\/p>\n In the case of Isak, it is two-fold – the fitness of the Sweden international, and the form of fellow new signing Hugo Ekitike.<\/p>\n Isak’s lack of pre-season continues to hamper him and while he is now up to speed in terms of general overall fitness, a recent groin issue has underlined he isn’t there with either sharpness or durability.<\/p>\n Of course, for \u00a3125milllion Liverpool haven’t bought Isak for a few months but instead many years. They won’t be overly perturbed by the lack of impact just yet.<\/p>\n And while it may be that Sunday’s Premier League trip to Manchester City comes too soon for a return, Isak will, touch wood, be fit and fighting after the forthcoming final international break of the year.<\/p>\n That, though, should not be sufficient for him to walk back into the team. Ekitike, after a good start to the season, had hit a slight rut in terms of domestic performances, but did better in the second half against Aston Villa and was much more like it in the win over Real Madrid.<\/p>\n So he remains the man in possession. Isak will get his chances given the hectic schedule that resumes – and it’s now up to him to take them.<\/p>\n Mark Jones<\/p>\n Have you looked at Liverpool’s fixture list after the international break? If you haven’t I can strongly recommend it.<\/p>\n Games aren’t won on paper famously, but the assignments do look to be a fair bit kinder for the Reds in the weeks that follow Sunday’s trip to Manchester City right up to the visit to Arsenal in early January.<\/p>\n That should allow Arne Slot to rotate a little more freely with a little less pressure, and that could be when we see Alexander Isak really come to the fore.<\/p>\n We got a glimpse of it in the Champions League win away at Frankfurt, but of course you’d put Mo Salah back into that starting XI, with Florian Wirtz also in line for a few more starts against opposition who are likely to try and station men behind the ball.<\/p>\n If you’re then picking two from the three midfielders we’ve just seen against Aston Villa and Real Madrid – something you should be able to do against plenty of lesser opposition – then that leaves two attacking positions to be fought over between Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo.<\/p>\n The players won’t want to think of it like that of course, but all three should get more than enough time on the pitch in that scenario, with Slot recently discussing how both Isak and Ekitike will have to be managed in a season in which the club they are playing for will have more matches than either player has experienced before.<\/p>\n All of them will get their chances, Isak included, and getting all of his attacking options fit and in form will be the main aim for Slot in the weeks and months to come.<\/p>\n Blood Red – November 2025 issue on sale now<\/p>\n Dive into the heart of Liverpool FC with Blood Red, the ECHO\u2019s monthly magazine packed with exclusive interviews, expert analysis, and nostalgic stories. This edition features The Coral\u2019s James Skelly on his love for the Reds, Chris Kirkland\u2019s powerful mental health journey, and David James\u2019 take on Alisson\u2019s place among LFC legends.<\/p>\n Plus, tactical insights from Andy Dunn and Andrew Beasley, Kop banner creator Peter Carney, and interviews with celebrity fans Chris McAusland and Will Arnett. The ultimate read for every Liverpool supporter.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Blood-Red-Standalone-DIGITAL-Nov-25-BILLBOARD-Revised.jpg\")
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