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Alexander Isak fired another blank as the Liverpool striker suffered yet another defeat with Sweden, with his country’s World Cup dreams now in serious danger.
It has been a frustrating start to the season for the striker, who didn’t play his first competitive game until September after being embroiled in a dramatic summer transfer saga between Newcastle and Liverpool, which was only resolved on deadline day.
Since then, the 26-year-old has been trying to find his feet in Arne Slot’s side while steadily building up his minutes, although his goals - the main reason why the Reds broke the Premier League transfer record to sign him - haven’t been flowing yet.
Isak has scored just once this season, in a 2-1 win over Southampton in the Carabao Cup, and three defeats in a row for Liverpool have seen the pressure build on him and the club’s other new signings.
The international break has not offered him any relief either. Having lost against Switzerland on Friday, there was yet more pain for Isak and Sweden on Monday as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Kosovo.
Isak played the full 90 minutes, but despite starting alongside Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres, the hosts couldn’t find a goal for the third time in their four World Cup qualifiers.
The defeat leaves Sweden bottom of its group, having picked up just one point so far, and with just two games remaining, its hopes of qualifying directly for next year’s tournament are over.
It can still finish second in its group to advance to the play-offs, although that would rely on Kosovo not picking up a single point from its remaining two games.
It’s best chance then lies in reaching the play-offs via its Nations League finish. As things stand, Sweden would go through as one of the four best-ranked group winners, although that route could also be closed off depending on other countries.
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Isak’s latest blank comes as he prepares to report back to Liverpool ahead of Sunday’s game against Manchester United, where former Red John Aldridge has told him he needs to start firing.
"OK, the games he has been involved in for Liverpool so far have all had something riding on them because they were not friendly fixtures, but it feels like the international break for Sweden will have helped him get fitter at club level," Aldridge wrote in his column for the Liverpool Echo.
"But now is the time for him to deliver. No more 'excuses'. No more 'explanations'. It's United up next, and there is no better time or team to show why you are one of the main men now at a club the size of Liverpool."
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