Michael Owen says Alexander Isak has run out of excuses. The former Liverpool striker has called on his old club's forward to start delivering the level expected of him now that he's back to full fitness.
The 26-year-old endured a difficult first season at Anfield, though his struggles were largely down to a lack of match sharpness and a serious injury.
A lengthy rehabilitation programme, a World Cup with Sweden and a full pre-season have all put Isak back in the frame. He played his first full 90 minutes for the club on Sunday.
That outing came against his former club Newcastle United, and it was a muted one. Isak failed to make any real impact amid constant abuse from the home supporters.
Speaking in remarks highlighted by the Tribuna network, Owen argued that the period of patience is over. He wants the striker judged by the high standards he once set for himself at St James' Park.
Owen said: "I suffered a lot of injuries during my career, so I know how difficult it is to come back, and that you need some time."
He added: "We gave him, and everyone gave him, time and we understood that. But he finished the season, went to the World Cup, and now he has had a pre-season, so you think: right, we are now starting to run out of excuses."
He concluded: "We need to start seeing the real Isak. We know how good he is, we saw him with Newcastle, he is a top-class player. But we have not seen that with Liverpool so far, and I think the questions will start now."
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