Arne Slot puts pressure on Alexander Isak with update ahead of Liverpool vs Man Utd

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Arne Slot has admitted that Alexander Isak can now be fairly criticised as a Liverpool player after finally returning to full fitness. Isak missed the entire pre-season due to being sidelined by Newcastle as he pushed through his £125million transfer to Anfield.

The 26-year-old managed to complete two full matches for Sweden during the international break, despite their World Cup qualifying losses to Switzerland and Kosovo.

While Isak didn't manage to find the back of the net for his national team, Slot believes the forward is now up to speed and ready for action as Liverpool gear up to face arch-rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this Sunday.

Isak has netted once in six outings for Liverpool since his arrival and will be battling Hugo Ekitike for the striker's spot against United. And Slot has suggested that he can now be fairly judged after building up match fitness.

"I think now he has had his five or six weeks of pre-season which is normal for every player – especially if you have been out for three or four months," said the Liverpool manager.

"Fitness-wise he is close to the level he should be and we can judge him in a fair way from now on.", reports the Liverpool Echo .

"I know how this industry works. If he plays there (Sweden) twice and doesn't score that's not what you're hoping for, of course. You are hoping if they go to the national team they score goals like Cody did, like Virgil did, like Dominik did, like Mac Allister did, but he didn't.

"His pre-season has maybe finished now, he has played a few games 70, 80, 90 minutes so let's see where he is in the upcoming weeks."

The Reds suffered a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in their previous match, with Marc Cucurella revealing the hosts deliberately targeted the space behind Mohamed Salah on Liverpool's right flank as a weakness to exploit.

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Slot responded: "I heard the comments from Cucurella and saw how they scored the 2-1 but I can also show you the five or six moments where Mo could have made the difference for us.

"If that had have happened, we would have had the conversation like we did last season where he made the difference so many times for us. If that doesn't happen then there are probably comments like this.

"There is always the balance between winger and full-backs. I want our full-backs to attack as well. We have to find the right balance in that, we are conceding too many crosses compared to last season and it is something that I am aware of so we have to do better."

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