Alexander Isak injury latest as Sweden makes decision on Liverpool striker before crucial qualifier

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Alexander Isak has not played for Liverpool since December and is still a while off full sharpness, even after he was spotted training on the grass in Kirkby earlier this week

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak.(Image: PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has been left out of the Sweden squad that will attempt to qualify for the World Cup when it takes on Ukraine next week.

Sweden's players will meet in Valencia on Monday before the game on Thursday. Isak has not played a competitive minute since December, when he broke his leg in the act of scoring against Tottenham.

In the absence of Isak, there will be a lot of pressure on the shoulders of Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres to step up. "He plays for a club that has a chance to win several titles," Sweden boss Graham Potter said. "He regularly plays big games and means a lot to us."

Isak was spotted training alone at the AXA Training Centre earlier this week. He is yet to return to team training, and even when he does, he is likely to take some time to get back to full sharpness.

"There's nothing we can do about it," Potter explained. "It's sad to lose players due to injuries, but it's like that for all teams. We have a very good group. I believe in the squad and am sure that together we can find good solutions and focus on our task."

Dejan Kulusevski is also a key man who will be missing for Sweden, but his Tottenham teammate Lucas Bergvall is close enough to a return to action to be involved again.

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak during a training session in October 2025.(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

If Sweden wins against Ukraine, it will face the winner of the Poland-Albania clash on March 31. If it loses and is out of World Cup contention, it will play a friendly against the loser of that other semi-final, also at home at the national stadium.

"I have to mess up the party again," Slot said last week when he was asked about Isak. "Let's say [he comes back] at the beginning of April, he has been out for three-and-a-half months and hasn't trained with the team for three-and-a-half months.

"The last time he did that, it took him a while to get up to speed.

"I am really, really looking forward to having him back, but don't get the expectations so high that the minute he's on the pitch, he's at the level of what we spent that money on.

"If you ask me now, I would say I don’t expect [Isak to go on duty with Sweden for their World Cup play-off against Ukraine].

"But we are still one and a half weeks off, there is always co-operation between club and country but I don’t expect him to play for us before that."

Liverpool.com says: It was never likely that Isak would be fit enough to go away with Sweden. The forward has had a debut campaign to forget, but when he returns, his quality is obvious. After a full pre-season, Liverpool should feel the benefit of his arrival.