Why Alexander Isak is missing from Liverpool squad for Burnley clash

Alexander Isak was expected to make his Liverpool debut vs Burnley (Photo: Getty)

Alexander Isak will not make his Liverpool debut on Sunday after he was shockingly left out of the matchday squad to face Burnley.

Liverpool are aiming to continue their 100 per cent start to the season at Turf Moor and return to the top of the Premier League table.

The Reds are favourites to retain their title after a huge summer spending spree that concluded with signing Isak from Newcastle United for a British record £130million on deadline day.

The striker had effectively gone on strike to force his transfer to Anfield but after missing pre-season and the start to the new campaign there were questions over his fitness.

The 25-year-old did however play for Sweden over the international break and in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Slot confirmed he was in contention against Burnley.

But when the line-ups were revealed, Isak was nowhere to be seen, with Slot explaining ahead of kick-off that he was in fact not fit to play.

‘We’ve decided it is the best for him to have a proper week of training instead of every time going for five or ten minutes of playing,’ the Liverpool head coach told Sky Sports.

‘I can assure the fans that he will be involved on Wednesday [vs Atletico Madrid in the Champions League] – but this game came a bit too early.’

He later added: ‘As everybody knows, he didn’t have any team training at Newcastle, then went to the national team, only played 15-20 minutes there and we play three games in seven days. This is the best lead up for him to be available against Atletico Madrid.

‘It’s always difficult to say when he will be up to full speed. All I can say is normally in a pre-season after one or two weeks you play your first 45-60 minutes and you build that up gradually but that you do with proper training sessions during the week.

Hugo Ekitike will start up top against Burnley (Photo: Getty)

‘Now we hardly have any proper training sessions with the team because we play three games in seven days. So, where would he be? Second or third week of pre-season I would say.

‘So able to hopefully play during the week, 45 minutes or more. But then three days later we play Everton.’

Liverpool are unchanged from the side that beat Arsenal in their last match, with Hugo Ekitike starting up top after an impressive start to life at Anfield, scoring three goals in his first four games.

Jeremie Frimpong has returned from injury but is only fit enough for the bench with Dominik Szoboszlai continuing as a makeshift right-back.

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