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Arne Slot has been warned against replacing Hugo Ekitike with Alexander Isak in the Liverpool team when the Sweden international is deemed ready to start games once more.
Isak was an unused substitute on Sunday as Liverpool lost 3-0 to Manchester City, and has not figured for the Reds since coming off at half-time of a Champions League game on October 22 due to a hamstring injury.
Ekitike came off before the hour mark against City, with Cody Gakpo taking his place as Liverpool searched for a way back into the game. There has been no suggestion that Slot intends to take Ekitike out of the team to accommodate Isak, but Arsenal great Emmanuel Petit felt the need to warn him against doing so anyway.
"Alexander Isak can't be guaranteed game time anymore," Petit told JeffBet. "It's disappointing what's happened with him, putting the pressure on Newcastle United and joining Liverpool in the last hours of the transfer market.
"It was a lot of money and you look at Hugo Ekitike, he's doing a great job. Ekitike is enjoying his games while Isak is injured, one has scored three goals and the other hasn't hit the ground running.
"If I were Arne Slot, there is no way I would put Ekitike on the bench for Isak — I don’t think many people would understand the decision. It may put Slot under scrutiny. For the moment, the best players should be on the pitch and Ekitike is better than Isak at the moment."
Slot addressed Isak's inclusion in Liverpool's squad ahead of Sunday's defeat by City, as he suggested the Reds' record signing would be ready to make an impact if required.
“For me, he is in the end stage of his rehab,” Slot told Sky Sports prior to kickoff. “Had two training sessions with us. Yes, we have trained, but not with the intensity that would have been best for Alex. He is there if he needs to help us.”
Ultimately, the Liverpool head coach decided that it wasn't worth risking Isak, with a positive result not looking likely from half-time onwards.
Isak, though, could be in action during the international break after being called up to the Sweden squad by Graham Potter for must-win World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia.
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