Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola knows Alexander Isak will score goals but is working on the striker’s ability to create chances for team-mates.
The Sweden international has a pivotal role to play as the only available centre-forward with Hugo Ekitike still recovering from surgery on an Achilles tendon and Mohamed Salah having departed.
It is vital he remains fit as his own debut campaign at Anfield was marred by injury which restricted him to just 12 starts in 22 appearances with only four goals — only one of which came after breaking his leg at Tottenham just before Christmas.
Isak’s link-up with Florian Wirtz, restored to the number 10 position after being shunted around by former boss Arne Slot, is likely to be a significant factor but Iraola is keen for the Swede to have more all-round involvement.
“Alex is going to be a very important player for us this season,” he said.
“Right now he is in a very good place; he has been training every day, he has not missed a session, he has been adding more and more minutes every friendly game.
“He played a very good World Cup in terms of availability, fitness level, and I want to keep him there as much as we can.
“We know his level and if we can keep him there he will score the goals and give us a lot of things.
“Probably my fight with him, my instructions, are more in terms of without the ball and how he can help in his position when we are with the ball so he can open spaces for other players.
“I am not trying to focus in terms of goals but he is a striker, he will want to score, but I try not to judge the strikers if they score or if they haven’t.”
Isak will have no greater incentive than Sunday’s opener at former club Newcastle, where he is guaranteed a hostile welcome after effectively going on strike last summer to force through a move.
Iraola played down the significance, however, adding: “I suppose it is always special when you play against your ex-team in their stadium — in the same way when I go back to Bournemouth you always want to do well.
“The first game of the season everyone will be very motivated and I think it is going to be the same for Alex.”
With Ekitike likely to be out until the new year and the club prioritising wide players in the transfer market — they had a second bid of £60million turned down for Brighton’s Yankubu Minteh — Iraola has to consider a back-up option to Isak.
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Cody Gakpo, who has been linked with an unlikely move to Tottenham considering the paucity of resources on the forward line, could be asked to reprise the central role he performed for Jurgen Klopp.
“In pre-season we haven’t tried as we don’t have enough wingers and we prioritised what we need from him in his preferred position as a left-winger,” added Iraola.
“But I have been talking to him about his minutes as a nine; he has done it before and in certain situations he could help us in the nine position.”
