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For Alexander Isak, getting off the mark for Liverpool in his second game in red will have been a relief as much as anything.
While Arne Slot might have claimed that "no one" is talking about him being a British record addition at Anfield, that isn't really true. In fact, plenty of people would be quick to get on his back for not performing — just ask Florian Wirtz.
It was a relative tap-in that Isak scored — after good work from Federico Chiesa, who intercepted a terrible pass from Alex McCarthy — but to break his duck so early in his Liverpool career can only be a positive.
If the delay is dragged out, the pressure can be heavy. Though it was only against Southampton and in the Carabao Cup third round, Isak has got the monkey off his back.
Against Atletico Madrid, Isak didn’t score in his 58 minutes on the field but did link nicely with his teammates.
Against Southampton, he scored, but didn’t show quite so much of the other side of his game.
The task now is to tie everything together — potentially on Saturday, given Hugo Ekitike is suspended — but there have already been clear signs it will be possible soon.
"It was good to get back out there and score my first goal here at Anfield," Isak told ITV Sport post-match. "The win as well. So, it's a good night.
"I should have scored that one [the chance early on] as well, but that's a part of being a striker — you miss some and then you score some. I think the most important [thing] is to shake it off and to be ready for the next one.
"I just try to play my game and not think too much. I feel confidence in myself that things will work out and that when I get my chances, I'll put them away — that's my mindset. I'm happy that I put one away today."
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Isak's determination to press in the Champions League last week was notable, and his passing on that day was strong. Instinctively, he created two big chances for himself a week later.
One of those came from funnelling a Southampton player down an alley where he was forced into conceding the ball — the exact kind of clever defensive play that Slot said a few weeks ago would determine how successful Isak is.
Clearly, the player still has work to do. He isn't yet able to play 90 minutes and we might not see the best of him until near the end of the calendar year, given he has been out for so long.
At half-time, Isak did shuttles of the Anfield pitch — another reminder that he still needs to get his running in and improve his match sharpness. Come Saturday, though, now Ekitike is banned, he might be needed for a little longer than expected.
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