Soccer
Red-hot Alexander Isak takes spotlight from Liverpool new boy Bradley Barcola
All eyes were on Liverpool’s £123million signing Bradley Barcola at Portman Road, but it was Alexander Isak who stole the show to start paying back his own enormous fee.
Isak joined the Reds last summer from Newcastle for marginally more than Barcola to set a new record for a Premier League transfer but endured an injury-hit debut campaign at Anfield and only struck four times in 22 appearances.
After Isak opened his account for this term in last Saturday’s draw at home to Nottingham Forest, a brace inside nine minutes during Friday’s 2-0 victory over Ipswich on Friday night means the Sweden international is already on the verge of bettering his total from last season.
For all the excitement around Merseyside over what impact former Paris St Germain attacker Barcola can have, perhaps the best route to success this season for new boss Andoni Iraola will be to keep Isak fit and firing.
Only six minutes were on the clock when Cody Gakpo threaded the ball through to super-sharp Isak, who took a touch and produced a rising shot too powerful for Ipswich goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen.
Isak completed his brace three minutes later when he twisted and turned Jacob Greaves before he slotted under Scherpen following another outstanding Gakpo pass.
The Reds number nine may have left Suffolk with the match ball but strayed marginally offside when picked out by Florian Wirtz in the 33rd minute, meaning his fine first-time finish did not result in a maiden hat-trick for Liverpool, with the flag immediately raised.
Iraola ensured there would be no treble when Isak was withdrawn after 64 minutes, perhaps with an eye on a busy schedule to come with fixtures against Atletico Madrid, Fulham, Tottenham and Bournemouth over the next fortnight, but there was no hint of disappointment from Liverpool’s £125m forward.
Instead Isak applauded the travelling Reds supporters and gave new boy Barcola a high-five safe in the knowledge that, with more performances like this and a full pre-season behind him, there will be further hat-trick opportunities in the post-Mohamed Salah era at the Merseyside club.
