Alexander Isak: Liverpool told how to ignite star alongside Ekitike as Sweden coach explains Gyokeres role

James Marshment 03 Sep 2025 11:19 AM

Alexander Isak alongside Liverpool manager Arne Slot and Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been handed a telling hint from Jon Dahl Tomasson about how to get the best out of Alexander Isak playing alongside Hugo Ekitike, after the Sweden coach drew comparisons with his dilemma at pairing the Premier League’s most costly-ever star alongside Arsenal man Viktor Gyokeres.

The Reds beat the deadline on Monday to secure the record-shattering coup for the 25-year-old, who has cost Liverpool an eye-watering £125m (€144m, $167.5m). While Isak will be expected to hit the ground running at Anfield, many feel Slot now faces a tough task in getting the balance right in his side at pairing his new frontman alongside fellow summer signing Ekitike.

Indeed, with the Frenchman getting his career on Merseyside off to a great start with three goals in his first four games, some suggest Isak may have to wait for his chance to impress.

Alternatively, some believe there is no way Liverpool are spending £125m for a player to sit on the bench, meaning Slot may have to work out a way – and not disrupt the balance of his side – by playing both men from the start.

Tomasson himself has a similar dilemma in charge of the Sweden national side as he looks to get the best out of his own star names in Isak and Arsenal new boy Gyokeres.

However, Tomasson insists there is a way to play both in words that will likely be noted by Reds boss Slot.

“When I started, there was a lot of noise about those two – ‘Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres cannot play together’,” Tomasson told Sky Sports.

“Of course they can! Great players can always play together. It’s my task as the coach to get the right scenery where they can perform and express themselves. And they’ve been great so far.

“Great characters, great personalities, lovely boys to work with. And they like to score goals. They’re living for goals.”

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Tomasson was then asked about how to get the best out of both players, given their similarities; a comparison of which can be made between Isak’s situation at Anfield alongside Ekitike.

“They are two of the best players in the world at making those runs in behind,” Tomasson says. “There’s of course a bit of a similarity, but also a bit different.

“Viktor Gyokeres’ channel runs is on an extremely high level. Alexander Isak’s runs just in behind is on an extremely high level.

“So one is more straight running in behind and the other one is more the general runs at the side from in to out.

“I’m a big believer if we can create a game where we decide how the game are looking, then we probably get eight opportunities during a game for those players. And with the qualities that they have, they will be scoring goals, and we will be happy and pleased in the end.”

The Dane, best remembered by British audiences for his spell as a player with Newcastle and, more recently, as Blackburn manager, also admits there is goalscoring pride at stake.

“A striker definitely wants to score more than the other one! That’s life, isn’t it? They’re living for that!” he added.

Those comments can certainly give Slot encouragement about how to get the best out of his own expensively assembled forward line.

And while some pundits have suggested Ekitike will be ‘shaking his head’ after the capture of Isak, the Reds manager is no mug and will have a strong plan in place at how he can utilise both players and get them playing at their best in his quest to defend their Premier League crown.