Isak's Form Is Key to Iraola's Liverpool Project

Liverpool's 125 million pound transfer of Alexander Isak is starting to produce concrete results on the way to becoming the most expensive forward in Premier League history. The Swede scored in the match won against an in-form Brighton at Anfield, and so he recorded goals in three league matches in a row. This is the first time this has happened since January 2025. Back then, wearing the Newcastle shirt, he had put together a scoring run of eight matches.

The build-up to the goal was also important for the coaching staff. Bradley Barcola, who arrived for a fee of over 100 million pounds, played on the right wing and carried the ball behind the opposition defence, sending it into the six-yard box between the posts, where Isak is most effective.

Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards planned last summer to base the squad around a few big names by paying record fees for Isak and Florian Wirtz. A different path was taken from Arsenal's approach of spreading spending across a wider squad. Edwards left in July, and Hughes completed the Barcola deal. Liverpool continue to search for technical players in a league where physical play is increasing. The plan for the attack after Mohamed Salah appears clearer with Isak.

Isak's form also rose before the season started. The forward, who looked good for Sweden at the World Cup, was also effective in pre-season friendlies. In August, he scored the first goal of the season in a match against Nottingham Forest that ended in a draw. He scored six goals in his first seven league games and sits just behind Erling Haaland. The 27-year-old has scored in every one of the team's league wins.

Iraola, however, values the team's contribution to winning more than the number of goals. In September, he told Sky Sports: "My expectation is not goals. I know he is fit and in good form, the numbers will come by themselves."