Arne Slot Prepares Bold Liverpool Lineup Shake-Up That Could Backfire Spectacularly

Arne Slot has acknowledged he may need to give Alexander Isak playing time over his fitter teammates in order to help the Swedish forward regain match sharpness.

Isak was absent throughout Newcastle United's pre-season preparations while pursuing a transfer to Liverpool, and has predictably faced challenges with both form and fitness following his record-breaking Premier League move.

The £125 million forward has only started six fixtures for Liverpool and has yet to play a complete 90-minute match, though an upcoming stretch of seven games across 22 days for the defending Premier League titleholders will provide ample opportunities for first-team minutes.

Slot has acknowledged that Isak remains below peak match condition, while also explaining the challenging decision he faces regarding whether to start the 26-year-old over players who are currently in superior physical shape.

"We have room to grow as a collective and will certainly develop as individuals since players will become much more accustomed to the league," Slot commented prior to Liverpool's encounter with Nottingham Forest on Friday. "Regarding Alex, it will require additional time, but he will return to being the player he demonstrated at Newcastle once we restore his fitness.

Slot: It's Always Difficult to Find the Balance

"I understand completely that a fully fit Alexander Isak represents an enormous, enormous, enormous asset for this squad. However, for him to reach that level, he may require playing time where one could reasonably argue that another player is currently ahead of him regarding match readiness."

Slot has also revealed discussions with the club's medical and performance teams as he works to help the Swedish striker regain his best form.

"This morning, I spoke with the performance team, asking 'What approach serves him best—not Liverpool—to get him to that 100 per cent as quickly as possible?'" explained the Dutch coach. "I must constantly balance what benefits him individually versus what serves us collectively."

With fixtures arriving rapidly for Liverpool during the busy holiday schedule, Slot must strike the right balance between providing Isak with chances and carefully managing his playing time to prevent injury—particularly given that Hugo Ekitiké, Isak's rival for the position, has impressed throughout this campaign.