Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool in their win over West Ham, with his team-mates showing their support on social media after the striker finally broke his duck
It’s been a long time coming, but Alexander Isak has finally found the back of the net, scoring his first Premier League goal for Liverpool since joining the club in the summer. The Reds forked out £125million to secure the services of the Swedish international, who had proven himself as a lethal finisher during his stint at Newcastle.
His signing, along with those of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and a new contract for Mohamed Salah, sparked hopes that the team would be invincible. However, they haven’t quite gelled yet, which is evident from the challenges the team has faced this season.
But things seemed to fall into place when Liverpool triumphed over West Ham at the London Stadium, sparking hopes that the team can build on this victory and gain momentum. A sturdy defensive performance was complemented by the right mix of attacking prowess, with several key players starting to show their best form.
READ MORE: Mohamed Salah being held back by Liverpool team-mates after being benched speaks volumesREAD MORE: Virgil van Dijk on criticism, title race and Liverpool fans as Reds return to winning ways
Wirtz’s incisive pass to Cody Gakpo set up Isak to calmly slot home his first Premier League goal in Liverpool colours – with Gakpo adding a second goal later in the match.
After a stuttering start to the season for the £125m forward, marred by injuries and fitness issues as well as a general lack of cohesion in the team, there’s a sense that he could now find his stride.
Isak took to Instagram after the victory, sharing a photo of his celebrations, which was met with an outpouring of support from his team-mates in the comments.
Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai both responded with heart emojis, while Rio Ngumoha and Curtis Jones added fire emojis to their comments.
Isak’s joy was evident in his initial celebration and then again when he celebrated with his teammates, clearly relieved to have finally found the back of the net.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he confessed: “I’m aware that it has been a long time coming and I have been trying to get back to my best form.
“I’m still on the way but I am happy to get that goal. The best feeling today is that we win the game and that is the best way to get a good spirit in the group but of course I am a striker so scoring goals will always help me.
“We have to use this win in a good way but also be humble. We have to stay focused and keep working hard to keep this momentum.”
When asked about Isak’s goal drought, Arne Slot defended the star’s start at Liverpool, telling the press: “That’s also a bit unfair to him because normally as a number nine, I think in general a number nine plays more minutes than I’ve played Alex until now – because of the obvious reasons.
“So even today I had to take him off after 65, I think. So yes, he’s already played quite a lot of games but in terms of minutes not so much.
“And it’s very important for us as a team that we went 1-0 up, but I think it was also important for him because I think it was his third chance, fourth of this game, and I don’t think there was much more than 10 minutes in him to go. So to score just before you come off was important for us but also for him.”
Liverpool host Sunderland at Anfield in their next fixture, aiming to bag another three points, whilst Isak may get the opportunity to net another strike and truly get his career at the club off the ground.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
