Alexander Isak is a major doubt for Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford after picking up a groin injury in training, according to the Daily Mail.
The £130m striker is set for a scan, with fears he could miss the game – a significant blow for Arne Slot, who is already without Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike.
Isak only returned last month after a long lay-off following a broken leg and has endured a difficult debut season, making 13 Premier League starts and scoring three times. He did, however, net in the recent win over Crystal Palace.
With attacking options limited, Slot may turn to Cody Gakpo or Florian Wirtz in a false-nine role.
Both sides are pushing for a top-three finish, with United aiming to complete a league double after winning at Anfield earlier this season.
Liverpool will hope Alexander Isak stays fit through the World Cup and enjoys a full pre-season, with the striker expected to help fill the goalscoring void left by Mohamed Salah’s departure this summer.
Arne Slot has also stressed that any attacking signing must complement Isak’s strengths.
“[Getting the most from Isak] is definitely part of thinking about the [Salah] replacement,” he said.
“Because since I have been here – and it is the same at a lot of clubs – it is mainly a left footer on the right and a right footer on the left.
“I have seen Alex scoring also a lot from crosses which were played from the right, right footed, Trent Alexander-Arnold crosses, if you want to call them like that.
“So that is definitely part of how we are looking at things, but we try to sign the best possible available player who we can afford.
“Something else which also happens at certain clubs is: ‘OK, that is the best player in the world in that position, let’s try and get him.’
“That is not how we work, we try and sign the best possible player who is available for us.”
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