Alexander Isak could face 'weeks' out as Hugo Ekitike warned of new Liverpool pressure

Alexander Isak was forced off in the second half of Liverpool's 2-1 win over Tottenham on Saturday evening, with the striker sustaining an injury after scoring

Alexander Isak is helped off after picking up an injury during Liverpool's game against Tottenham

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike has been urged to step up in the coming weeks, following an injury to Alexander Isak during Saturday's Premier League victory over Tottenham.

Arne Slot's team clinched a tight 2-1 win against the north London side, with Isak scoring the opening goal early in the second half after the hosts were reduced to 10 men in the first. Xavi Simons was shown a straight red card after VAR stepped in for a dangerous tackle on Virgil van Dijk.

Despite netting for Liverpool, Isak couldn't celebrate his second Premier League goal for the Reds. In the act of scoring, Spurs defender Micky van de Ven brought him down and his ankle seemed to get caught between the Dutchman's legs.

Initially, a stretcher was called for, but Isak managed to hobble off the pitch with assistance from Liverpool's medical team. The club now faces a tense wait to ascertain the severity of the injury, although initial fears of a potential ACL tear were allayed on Saturday, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The Athletic reported that the preliminary diagnosis is a lower-leg injury, not a knee issue.

Ekitike then doubled Liverpool's advantage to make it 2-0, before Spurs substitute Richarlison grabbed a late consolation goal. The hosts were reduced to nine men in stoppage time when Cristian Romero was shown a red card for lashing out at Ibrahima Konate, and Slot's side managed to hold on to their narrow lead and claim all three points.

Speaking on BBC's Match of the Day following the match, pundit Shay Given acknowledged that losing Isak for any period would be a devastating blow for Liverpool.

However, he pointed out that it is now Ekitike's opportunity to prove himself in Isak's absence, particularly with Mohamed Salah also unavailable for the next few matches due to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations.

"It's a big loss if Isak has gone off injured again," Given said. "He's had a stop-start campaign so far. But, Ekitike looks the real deal, doesn't he?".

"A brilliant striker and he'll have to step up. Obviously, Mo Salah has left as well to go to the Africa Cup of Nations. Ekitike will have to stay fit as well because it's a big loss if Isak is out for a number of weeks now as well."

Hugo Ekitike doubled the Liverpool lead.(Image: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)

Slot provided a brief update on Isak after the match, acknowledging it never appears promising when a player cannot continue, particularly after finding the net. "We'll have to wait and see," the head coach said.

"But if a player scores and then gets injured and doesn't try to come back on the pitch, that's usually not a good thing."

Liverpool is back in action on December 27, hosting Wolves at Anfield for a Premier League showdown.

However, Slot faces some challenging selection dilemmas due to recent injuries. Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz all had to be substituted due to problems during the match.

Adding to the woes, Dominik Szoboszlai received a yellow card in the second half against Spurs, resulting in a suspension for the upcoming Wolves game. Then, as the New Year dawns, the Reds gear up for another home fixture, this time against Leeds United.