'I don't give myself any excuses' - Alexander Isak opens up on injury hell after Liverpool striker makes return in Sweden's thumping loss to Switzerland

Isak was public enemy number one for Newcastle fans this summer as he refused to play for the club again in a bid to join Premier League champions Liverpool. The former Real Sociedad man didn't really have a pre-season, as he spent most of it training alone, and when he did make the switch to Anfield, it took him a while to bed in. To date, he is yet to score a Premier League goal for the Reds, and his sole strike was in the Carabao Cup against Southampton in September. Recently, he has been recovering from a groin injury he picked up against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League. This week, he came off the bench in Sweden's 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Switzerland in a World Cup qualifier. Following Graham Potter's first game in charge of Sweden, Isak has offered a candid reflection on his current frame of mind.

Isak came on for the final 28 minutes of his side's heavy loss and admitted he came through the game unscathed but suggested he is not at 100 per cent yet. The Swede admitted his preparation has not been "optimal," but he isn't making any excuses.

"It felt okay," he told Swedish newspaper Sportbladet. "I feel like the reaction was good after the match in my body. Hopefully, I can play properly in the next match (against Slovenia on Tuesday). It’s always frustrating when you’re injured. Regardless of whether it’s one match or more. It’s always worse for the player himself.

"It hasn’t been optimal. But when I’m on the field, I don’t give myself any excuses. I always want to play my game and perform. But yes, it’s hard to be away and not be able to help and contribute. Now I’m back and I’m positive. There’s not much that’s easy in football. But with experience, you learn to deal with things. That’s how it is with injuries and all that. You learn to deal with it and get back on track the right way."

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Sweden have endured a wretched World Cup qualifying campaign. So far, they have picked up just one point from a possible 15, and they sit bottom of Group B. They round off their World Cup campaign against Slovenia on Tuesday, a game where Potter says Isak is likely to get a longer run-out. 

The recently sacked West Ham boss said: "The plan was for Isak to play 30 minutes. It wasn't an easy position in the game to get into. Hopefully we'll see more of him on Tuesday."

After this game for Sweden, Isak will hope to feature for Liverpool against lowly Nottingham Forest when the Premier League returns on November 22. Arne Slot's side have slipped to eighth in the table, so they will need to return to winning ways quickly after their drubbing at the hands of Manchester City.

Incidentally, manager Slot has repeatedly called for patience with Isak after a rocky few months.

He said earlier this month, "Isak will train with the team again after three weeks out. I know that I said three weeks ago that his pre-season has ended so now it's time for us to see where he is. But I have to come back to those words, because if you are only three weeks with the rehab, that doesn't bring you back to the levels he was three weeks ago. Even though our rehab has done an incredible job, you cannot compare rehab with games of football or training sessions with the team. As much as we try to replicate it, that's simply not possible. So, again I have to say, give him some time."