Liverpool news: Alexander Isak gives fitness update as Arne Slot's striker issue emerges

Liverpool made hard work of Southampton in their Carabao Cup third round game on Tuesday night but are safely into the last 16. Alexander Isak opened his account for the Reds after joining on transfer deadline day, with Hugo Ekitike scoring the winner after Shea Charles had briefly brought the Saints level.

Victory wasn't without its issues, though. Giovanni Leoni failed to complete the game, with the teenager's debut cut short by serious injury, while Ekitike will miss this weekend's meeting with Crystal Palace after picking up a second yellow card for his goal celebrations.

Arne Slot's team have a 100 percent record to protect when they travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday. Palace are the only other side unbeaten in the league, winning two and drawing three, and have conceded just twice in the Premier League.

The two clubs last met less than two months ago. On that occasion, Palace emerged victorious on penalties in the Community Shield after twice coming from behind to secure a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes at Wembley.

Record signing Isak hadn't yet joined Liverpool when that match took place, and Arne Slot has to decide whether to hand the Swede a first league start for the club. Here are Mirror Football's latest lines from around Anfield.

READ MORE: Furious Arne Slot’s private message to Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool boss left with decision to make

READ MORE: Arne Slot had no choice with Hugo Ekitike after downright stupid Liverpool red card

Isak fitness update

Alexander Isak has yet to complete a full 90 minutes for Liverpool since his summer move, with Arne Slot being careful with the striker after a limited pre-season. He played another 45 against Southampton on Tuesday, scoring once and seeing another effort well-saved by Alex McCarthy, and confirmed he's still working his way back to top gear.

"It was good to get some more minutes on the way to getting fit," Isak told Sky Sports. "I feel good, I feel fit of course. Obviously it's still early. A new club and new team-mates but I feel good. I think it's a great team to be a part of and with all of the games I get it's only going to get better."

Isak had to wait until the September international break to get his first minutes of the new season, having not played for former club Newcastle before his Anfield switch. He came on as a substitute against Everton on Saturday, and could get a first league start for the Reds this weekend.

Slot's striker issue

If Arne Slot wanted to give Isak a slower welcome into the side, that might no longer be quite as easy due to Ekitike's suspension. Former Tottenham and Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood was on punditry duty for the cup tie on Tuesday, and sympathised with the Liverpool manager while wondering aloud if Ekitike was impacted by the threat of Isak taking his spot.

"I think it's the pressure of Isak being there, the noise around it," Sherwood said. "He's letting everyone know that I am here. We know he's done really well, he's a real threat. That's his fifth goal of the season. He can't do any more than he's doing. We all know your name!

"There's absolutely no need to show that," he added. "Liverpool fans appreciate what he's doing. Now he's not going to play and whether Isak is ready to play or not. Ekitike has let himself down."

Bayern legend makes Wirtz claim

Florian Wirtz would have been a better fit for Bayern Munich than for Liverpool, according to the Bavarian club's former striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Bayern were in the race for German international before Liverpool blew them out of the water with a nine-figure bid.

"I have to say honestly, in the case of Florian Wirtz, it still hurts, I feel sorry for him," Rummenigge told Sport Bild. "Because I believe the player would have been better off at Bayern than at Liverpool.

"We could have signed [Newcastle forward Nick] Woltemade. But I also have to say: Bayern Munich are wise enough not to engage in every kind of financial madness. I've always said: We want to achieve sporting success, but please, in a serious and financially sound way."

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