Graham Potter has hinted at how many minutes Alexander Isak could ‘potentially’ play for Sweden during the current international window.
The Liverpool striker has joined up with his country for their UEFA Nations League fixtures at home to Romania (Friday) and Poland (Monday) and away to Bosnia-Herzegovina (2 October) and Romania (5 October).
The 27-year-old had an injury-ravaged first season at Anfield but has begun this campaign impressively with four goals in seven appearances, most recently netting the winner at Bournemouth last Sunday.
Potter issues Isak game-time hint for Sweden
Potter spoke to the media in the lead-up to Sweden’s upcoming Nations League matches, and while he said that Isak wouldn’t be ever-present throughout the four games, the head coach hasn’t ruled out the Reds’ number 9 from starting in each of them.
The former Chelsea boss said (via Liverpool Echo): “It’s not about rotating for the sake of rotating, as we want to win the games and try to play with our strongest team in every game.
“Alex has played a lot of games lately, is in a good place and as I know him he wants to start games, but we need to see how everyone is, how they react and recover. Can Isak start every game? Potentially yes, but there’s no chance [that he’ll] play all the minutes.”
Potter also told reporters that he hadn’t received any requests from Liverpool regarding Isak’s playing time with Sweden in this international window.
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Liverpool fans’ nerves could be frayed over Isak
Whereas Jurgen Klopp has vowed to play Florian Wirtz in no more than two matches for Germany in this window, our number 9 hasn’t been granted the same luxury by his national team coach.
We can understand why Potter would want to utilise the Reds striker as much as possible, given his impressive start to the season, but Andoni Iraola will be privately urging the Sweden boss not to overburden the 27-year-old.
If Isak were to break down with even a minor injury while on international duty, it could leave Liverpool without either of their senior centre-forwards for the game against Manchester City on 11 October, with Hugo Ekitike still sidelined and not due to return for at least another three months.
Potter might opt for a 50:50 approach by starting the Reds centre-forward and Viktor Gyokeres in two games each over the next fortnight, in the event that neither of them succumb to injury or suspension and scupper that prospective idea.
The ideal scenario for LFC is that Isak continues his fine form of recent weeks while away with his country and returns to Merseyside unscathed and in prime condition to recharge before the Man City game in 17 days’ time.