Liverpool have a double injury headache with star Alexander Isak cutting short his international duty with Sweden and Cody Gakpo being forced off just 17 minutes into Netherlands’ clash with Serbia.
Isak, who has enjoyed his best-ever start to a Premier League season, will be assessed by Liverpool’s medical staff at the AXA Training Centre.
The forward scored in Sweden’s 2-1 win over Romania on Friday but Sweden boss Graham Potter later said: ‘Isak has a minor thigh problem.
‘It’s nothing serious, but due to the number of matches in a short period of time, he won’t be able to take part.
‘It’s frustrating for both him and us, but it is what it is.’
He was also spotted with a blood-soaked sock after a heavy challenge.
Alexander Isak has withdrawn from Sweden duty with a ‘minor injury’ after a ‘heavy stamp’
He has enjoyed a fine start to the Premier League campaign, scoring four goals in five games
‘You can see it… It was a heavy stamp,’ he told reporters in the mixed zone.
‘Those of you who have played might know that it takes a few minutes for the pain to subside, but it was okay.’
Winger Gakpo, meanwhile, went down holding his left ankle 17 minutes into Netherlands’ Nations League clash in Serbia on Sunday afternoon. He appeared to be visibly in pain and Liverpool fans will have their fingers crossed that the injuries to both stars are minor.
Isak missed 30 matches for club and country due to various injuries. The £125million record signing suffered a broken leg and was sidelined for months after a robust challenge by Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven in December.
It left him unavailable until April and unable to gain any momentum in a debut season where he scored just four times in all competitions after signing from Newcastle.
He has started this season much more like himself, banging in four goals in five Premier League games, a personal best start to the campaign.
The 27-year-old scored in the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest, struck both goals in the 2-0 win over Ipswich, and netted the 1-0 winner against Bournemouth.
Cody Gakpo went down in pain early on in Netherlands’ clash with Serbia on Sunday
Sweden’s statement on his exit described the injury as ‘minor’, but it means he will play no part in their upcoming Nations League games against Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania.
Gakpo, meanwhile, has scored twice for Liverpool in the Premier League this season. A proposed move to Manchester City fell through before deadline day but the 27-year-old appears to have responded well.
Alongside scoring goals, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola wants Isak to step up by leading Liverpool’s press with more ferocity.
Daily Mail Sport has reported how Iraola has even been showing Isak clips of academy graduate Lewis Koumas as a model of off-the-ball work.
Isak seems to be getting the message, telling BBC Sport recently that defending is an ‘attacking weapon’.
