Liverpool’s Win Overshadowed by Isak Injury

Liverpool manager Arne Slot faced a rollercoaster of emotions as Alexander Isak scored a spectacular goal against Tottenham Hotspur only to be forced off injured moments later.

The £125m signing had come off the bench and brilliantly slotted the ball past Guglielmo Vicario, giving Liverpool a brief lead and hinting at a promising start for the Swedish striker this season. Slot, watching from the sidelines, initially celebrated the connection between Isak and £116m signing Florian Wirtz, who provided his first Premier League assist for the club.

However, jubilation quickly turned to concern when Isak went down following a tackle from Micky van de Ven, leaving fans and coaching staff anxious about the severity of the injury.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Slot said post-match. “If a player scores and then is unable to continue, that’s usually not a good sign.”

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Liverpool Struggle With Multiple Injuries

Liverpool’s injury woes worsened during the match:

• Conor Bradley was substituted at half-time due to a knock.
• Isak was replaced by Jeremie Frimpong on the hour mark, who was playing his first game since October.
• Frimpong was later substituted in the 90th minute for Federico Chiesa as a precaution, despite being fit to continue.

Slot noted that while Frimpong’s exit was precautionary, it highlighted the recurring fitness issues and squad depth concerns that Liverpool must manage.

Despite the injuries, Hugo Ekitike scored the decisive goal to secure a 3-0 victory, ensuring Liverpool continued their unbeaten run in six consecutive matches. Tottenham, down to nine men after the dismissals of Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero, still managed to dominate possession in the final minutes, leaving Liverpool looking vulnerable.

“It’s unbelievable that against nine men, they had the ball for eight and a half out of nine added minutes,” Slot said. “It tells you where we are this season, and we need a few more wins to get comfortable with setbacks.”

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Chaotic Finish Highlights Liverpool’s Inconsistencies

Liverpool’s win at Tottenham mirrored the chaotic patterns seen earlier this season, including a recent match at Leeds where they threw away a two-goal lead. During the closing stages in London, Liverpool appeared disorganised and struggled to control possession, particularly after Richarlison’s introduction increased Tottenham’s attacking threat.

“We didn’t keep the ball when we had it, and things became chaotic and hectic,” Slot admitted. “Overall, though, we had good control and both of our number nines scored.”

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Looking Ahead: Title Hopes and Injury Concerns

Liverpool currently sit level with Chelsea in 4th place heading into the festive period, following a run of four wins and two draws in their last six matches. While there are positives in their form, Isak’s injury now represents the most pressing concern for Slot, alongside ongoing absences for Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo.

The team’s ability to maintain momentum and title contention will depend on fitness updates, squad rotation, and managing the holiday fixture congestion. How long Isak will be sidelined remains a key question for Liverpool fans and could shape their hopes in both the Premier League and European competitions.