Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has heaped praise on striker Alexander Isak ahead of their Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace. Isak scored his seventh goal of the campaign in midweek and looks to improve his record at Selhurst Park.
Isak targets Selhurst Park breakthrough after midweek goal
Liverpool forward Alexander Isak comes into Sunday's Premier League clash against Crystal Palace after netting his seventh goal of the season during the midweek Champions League trip to Fenerbahce.
The Sweden international has scored in two of his last three top-flight appearances against Palace.
However, Isak has played more Premier League matches at Selhurst Park without scoring than at any other venue, making Sunday an opportunity to end that drought.
Iraola labels Isak 'the closest thing to a guarantee'
Speaking ahead of the fixture, Iraola expressed complete confidence in Isak's finishing ability when given proper service inside the penalty area.
"Alex is a top goalscorer," Iraola declared during his pre-match press conference.
"If we can put him in the position to score, he will deliver. It's not a guarantee but it's the closest thing to a guarantee almost," the manager added.
Maximising Isak's movement and technical qualities
Iraola emphasized that Liverpool are actively working to exploit all aspects of Isak's skillset, including his movement off the ball and link-up play.
"Like every player, he can add more things to his game," Iraola explained regarding the forward's development.
"We want to use the things that he has – he is very good also attacking the spaces, attacking the channels, coming to receive [the ball]. I think he is technically clean also. We are trying to use him in the best way," he noted.
Liverpool aim to continue impressive away form
Liverpool head to London sitting among the division's top away sides, having picked up 67 per cent of their points on the road this season.
They face a Pierre Sage side that has spent 53.7 per cent of their game time trailing this term.
With Isak leading the attack and captain Virgil van Dijk leading the league in duels won, Liverpool aim to secure another three points in the capital.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
