2 weeks ago
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Liverpool's record signing Alexander Isak hasn't done enough to justify starting for the Reds ahead of Hugo Ekitike, according to former England star Wayne Rooney.
Isak has yet to find the net in the Premier League since his deadline day switch from Newcastle, while Ekitike has already netted three times in the league - including one on his competition debut. Isak was handed a start against Manchester United on Sunday, featuring for the opening 70 minutes.
Ekitike was introduced for the closing half-hour of the 2-1 reverse, with the duo sharing limited time on the pitch together, and Liverpool found its goal after Isak's substitute Federico Chiesa teed up Cody Gakpo.
The Sweden international endured a restricted preseason and failed to appear in any fixtures for Newcastle prior to his switch to Liverpool.
Rooney has suggested he remains short of match sharpness, partly due to that absence of preparation ahead of the new campaign.
"I wouldn't play Isak, he hasn't looked ready since coming from Newcastle," Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show.
"He hasn't trained, hasn't had a preseason. It's so important. While Newcastle were training he was probably sat at home on the phone to his agent for six hours a day trying to get a move.
"It's so difficult when you don't have a preseason. He might've done stuff by himself but he's paying the price of it. On performances, he doesn't deserve to be playing ahead of Ekitike."
Liverpool had been sitting at the summit of the Premier League table following five consecutive victories, but now find themselves four points behind league leaders Arsenal.
The team's most recent setback against United marked its third successive domestic defeat and fourth across all competitions, following a Champions League loss at Galatasaray.
Arne Slot's players return to European competition on Wednesday, making the trip to Germany to take on Eintracht Frankfurt. The Dutch boss will need to determine whether to persist with Isak or give Ekitike his first start.
"Of course there are concerns. If you lose four times in a row you have to have concerns, but we know if we keep bringing these types of performances then we will have a fair chance of winning more football games," Slot told Match of the Day after the latest defeat.
"If we do a few things better then we will have an even better chance, but you are never 100 percent sure if in the next game you are again able to create eight, nine, ten open chances. Again these players played so long being 1-0 behind and fought to come back.
"If we have that mentality then there is a lot of positivity to bring into the upcoming games. Losing four times in a row definitely does something to a team."
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