Isak's first Liverpool goal could be the start of something special

LIVERPOOL, England -- It took little than a infinitesimal for Alexander Isak to marque his intentions clear.

With conscionable seconds connected the timepiece successful Liverpool's 2-1 Carabao Cup triumph implicit Southampton connected Tuesday, the Sweden planetary took the shot successful his stride and drilled it goalwards, lone to spot his effort tipped implicit the barroom by the stretching Alex McCarthy.

Barely 40 minutes later, though, McCarthy was picking the shot retired of his ain nett arsenic Liverpool's newest marksman wheeled distant successful celebration, having notched the archetypal extremity of what galore connected Merseyside anticipation volition beryllium an illustrious Anfield career. In the 2nd half, Isak watched from the seat arsenic chap summertime signing Hugo Ekitike scored the winning extremity for the hosts, booking the club's spot successful the 4th circular of a contention they are bidding to triumph for a record-extending 11th time.

After weeks of statement astir however Slot volition beryllium capable to support his 2 big-money strikers happy, some Isak and Ekitike delivered to guarantee the Liverpool brag ended the nighttime with a grin connected his look -- adjacent if the Dutchman was left to lament Ekitike's "needless" second-half dismissal for picking up 2 yellowish cards.

- Ogden: Liverpool volition person to beryllium diligent to spot the champion of Wirtz
- Laurens: The Henry-like power that helped Dembélé triumph the Ballon d'Or
- First-month grades for each 20 Premier League teams: From A+ to F

Considering the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz were afforded a uncommon accidental to ticker the enactment unfold from the comfortableness of their ain sofas, it is nary exaggeration to accidental Slot present has an embarrassment of attacking riches astatine his disposal.

Still, the Liverpool caput manager was erstwhile again made to hold to spot his squad clinch the victory, with Ekitike's 86th-minute onslaught marking the sixth juncture successful 7 games this play the Reds person scored a winning extremity successful the last 10 minutes of a game. The disjointed quality of Liverpool's show connected Tuesday nighttime can, successful part, beryllium attributed to the information Slot made 11 changes to the broadside that bushed Everton 2-1 successful past weekend's Merseyside derby.

As good arsenic a commencement for Isak, Slot handed debuts to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defender Giovanni Leoni, with the latter, successful particular, impressing earlier helium was substituted with what appeared to beryllium a genu wounded precocious successful the 2nd half. But, successful spite of the immense ...