Liverpool dealt bitter injury blow as substitute Alexander Isak limps out of Tottenham clash seconds after scoring opening goal

Isak was named on the bench for the encounter in north London but he was introduced at half-time, with the scores level and Spurs down to 10 men after Xavi Simons was sent off for a late tackle on Virgil van Dijk. The Sweden international scored the opening goal in the 56th minute but was substituted just minutes later, having been left on the turf by a desperate lunge from Van de Ven as he attempted to block his shot. Isak was replaced by Jeremie Frimpong, with medical staff helping the striker leave the field. 

After enduring a purple patch in the 2024-25 campaign with the Magpies, where he helped them win the Carabao Cup, beating the Reds in the final and then finish among the top five teams in the Premier League and secure a Champions League slot.

His amazing form naturally attracted interest and the reigning English champions eventually signed him for $167 million from Newcastle in the summer. The forward, however, has so far failed to find his form at Merseyside and hence failed to meet expectations, which rose to unprecedented levels as the Reds paid a British record sum to the Tyneside club to bring their talismanic forward to Anfield.

Before the strike against Spurs, Isak's only other Premier League goal for the Reds was against West Ham in November, which Arne Slot's side won 2-0.

Isak recently opened up about his struggles at the new club, as he told Sportbladet: "No, I don't think so. I don't really have the answer to that. The team-wise thing – it's clear that it's been slow, but that's how it is in football. There are always teams that are flying, and then it's slower for others. It's about turning that around. And for me too… it's not the first time in my career that I've gone through a period like this, or been in bad shape. That's how a football career works, it's just something you have to fight your way out of."

Liverpool’s collective struggles have mirrored Isak’s own. Slot’s first full campaign has demanded adaptation across the squad, with new signings bedding in and established figures learning unfamiliar roles. Injuries have compounded the challenge, leaving rhythm elusive and confidence fragile. Isak accepts that instant chemistry was always unlikely. "That's always what you hope for, that everything will just flow," he said. "But not everything goes as planned, and then you have to take it as it comes."

Since the Reds' loss against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last month, Slot's side have not lost a single game in their last six outings across all competitions. With the win over Spurs on Saturday evening, the Reds have now extended their winning streak to three matches and have climbed to the fifth position in the Premier League table.

The defending champions will be back in action on December 27 as they take on Wolves at Anfield in the year's final Premier League encounter.