Moving to a new club is always a significant moment in a footballer’s career, but when that move involves a British record transfer fee, the spotlight becomes incredibly intense.
For Alexander Isak, his long-awaited debut for Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League was a chance to immediately begin justifying the enormous investment.
While his new team secured a dramatic late victory over Atletico Madrid, the performance of their new star striker has become a major talking point for fans and pundits alike.
The match itself was a classic Anfield European night, full of drama and emotion.
Liverpool raced into an early two-goal lead, only to be pegged back to 2-2, before captain Virgil van Dijk popped up in stoppage time to head home a winner and send the crowd into a state of pure delirium.
In that sense, it was a perfect start for Isak a win in his first game. However, his personal contribution was quieter than many had hoped for.
He played for 58 minutes but ended the match without a goal or an assist, a statline that belied the more nuanced story of his performance.
Former Liverpool player and now astute observer Stan Collymore was watching Isak very closely throughout the match.
He shared his real-time thoughts, suggesting that the Swedish international would likely have felt a sense of frustration.
Collymore pinpointed a fundamental difference between Isak’s role at Newcastle and what will be expected of him at Liverpool.
At his former club, Isak was the undisputed main man. The entire offensive system was designed to get the ball to him in dangerous areas.
Players like Bruno Guimaraes and Jacob Murphy were consistently looking to feed him, making him the central focus of almost every attack.
At Liverpool, the dynamic is completely different. As Collymore noted, every team that visits Anfield tends to sit deep and defend in a low block, denying space behind for runners.
This forces Liverpool’s striker to operate primarily as a ‘fox in the box,’ relying on quick movements and sharp finishing in crowded penalty areas rather than running into open space.
Furthermore, Liverpool already has a legendary offensive outlet in Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian king is not going to change his game; the ball will still flow through him frequently.
This means Isak, despite his price tag, will often have to play a supporting role, at least initially.
Collymore observed that during the first half, Isak could be seen pointing five times to where he wanted the ball, making intelligent runs into channels.
At Newcastle, he might have received that pass three or four times. At Liverpool, those passes often went to Salah or fellow new signing Florian Wirtz instead.
The key for Isak will be to not get discouraged, to maintain his discipline, and to keep making those runs. Eventually, the understanding with his new teammates will come, and those passes will find him.
His movement was good, and he showed a clear desire to be involved, but building that crucial on-pitch chemistry takes time.
This period of adjustment stands in stark contrast to his start at Newcastle, where he scored on his debut against Liverpool at Anfield and immediately looked at home.
It also contrasts with the start of his replacement at St James’ Park, Nick Woltemade, who scored the winner on his debut against Wolves. For Isak, patience is required from everyone.
He is not just learning new tactics and new teammates; he is adapting to an entirely new status within a team’s hierarchy.
He is no longer the primary star, but a brilliant piece in an already glittering constellation. His success will be measured not just in goals, but in how well he adapts to this new and very different reality.
