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Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has outlined the latest on Alexander Isak ahead of the Liverpool man joining up with his national team for matches against Switzerland and Kosovo.
Tomasson has praised Liverpool, and Arne Slot praised Sweden in the last international break, with both parties seemingly working alongside one another. Isak played just 18 minutes for his country in September but could increase that volume this time around.
“You need six weeks in a pre-season," Tomasson told Fotbollskanalen. "First you play 45 minutes, then 60 minutes, 75 minutes and 90 minutes. Then you need another three weeks to be at your best. That’s normal.
“We can’t change the situation. I’m just happy that Liverpool are doing the same thing I would have done. You can see that with Newcastle and Yoane Wissa, who came in instead of Isak.
"He played international matches with Congo straight away and is now injured. He is still injured. That’s also a reason why we couldn’t play him (Isak) so much last month.
"We need a good Isak this month and next month. That’s how we plan, while Liverpool have done really well."
Since the last international break, Isak has played a part in every Liverpool game as he continues to build match sharpness. He scored his first goal for the Reds last month in the League Cup.
Isak started against Atletico Madrid, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Chelsea, and came off the bench against Everton and Galatasaray.
"I feel good," Isak told Liverpool's official website this weekend. "I’ve been working hard to get back to my best and I’m still working to get to my best form.
"It was good to play out there again. I was hoping for a different result [against Chelsea] but we’ll keep working.
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"I’m very excited for the whole season ahead. Game by game we have to improve of course if we want to achieve the things we want to. But yeah, really excited."
Liverpool.com says: Isak hasn't shown his full potential at Liverpool yet; far from it, in fact. Once he gets up to full sharpness, everyone knows how good he is.
If Isak can improve, that will have a knock-on impact for the likes of Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz too. That frontline, once it learns how each part plays, is mouthwatering, with Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa to fit in there too.
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