Alan Shearer shows no mercy with Alexander Isak verdict as fitness questioned

Alan Shearer criticized Alexander Isak's performance after Liverpool's record signing was hauled off at half-time against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, with Arne Slot facing questions over his team selection

Alan Shearer was not impressed by Alexander Isak(Image: Getty Images)

Alan Shearer has criticized Alexander Isak's performance after Liverpool's record signing was substituted at the interval during the clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

The £125 million ($169 million) forward was paired with Hugo Ekitike against the French team. Isak has been sidelined for much of the season with a broken leg, but he was handed a significant chance against PSG in the Champions League. He appeared to have a promising moment when played through on goal, only to be ruled offside.

Beyond that, it proved a frustrating evening with limited involvement at Anfield. Following the match, Newcastle legend and previous Isak admirer, Shearer, delivered a scathing assessment of the Swedish striker's showing.

Speaking on Amazon's Champions League coverage, Shearer remarked: "He wasn't hardly involved at all, was he, Isak? Only five touches in that half, didn't really do enough, didn't look fit.

"And I think Arne Slot said before the game, didn't he? That he didn't see him doing too many more minutes than 45, and that's exactly what happened."

In opting to start Isak, Slot also left Mohamed Salah out of his initial line-up. This decision raised eyebrows, given Salah's goal in the 2-0 victory over Fulham.

Isak had a difficult game against Paris Saint-Germain(Image: Getty Images)

The Liverpool manager subsequently introduced Salah in place of Hugo Ekitike after the latter sustained an injury during the opening period. Prior to the Egyptian's arrival, Jamie Carragher expressed his surprise at Slot's decision to favor Isak over Salah.

Carragher remarked: "I can't believe it, that he [Salah] is not playing. I can't understand why. The manager will have his reasons, but Isak is nowhere near fit.

"Mo Salah didn't play in the first leg, so he's not like some of the players who played last week and then played at the weekend in the Premier League.

"He played in the Premier League, he scored a goal, he's still one of Liverpool, probably Liverpool's best goalscorer. He's used to this system; Isak's never really played at with Ekitike before.

"Now I don't think Arne Slot's the type of manager who would almost be thinking, 'I remember what you did to me a few months ago when you called me out publicly.'

"Certain managers in the past, I can think of maybe Alex Ferguson... I don't think Arne Slot would, but is it because he's already announced he's leaving?

"And it's something like, 'I'm almost going with the players who are going to be here in the next year.' I don't know, it's the only thing I can think of, but even that doesn't make sense, because it's about the here and now, so I'm flabbergasted Mo Salah's not playing."

Addressing his team selection ahead of kick-off, Slot explained: "The thinking is that, as we all know, we need to score goals, and there are goals in these players. They are two target men, two players we can play into."