Alexander Isak speaks on final Newcastle days and analyses horror start to Liverpool career

Alexander Isak has spoken out on his controversial final days as a Newcastle player and reflected on the poor start to his Liverpool career.

Isak joined Liverpool for £125m in the summer, in a move which saw him down tools at Newcastle to force through the transfer, refusing to train for the club that continued to pay his wages.

And things haven’t gone according to plan at Anfield, with Isak scoring just one Premier League goal in seven appearances as Liverpool have slumped to mid-table having formed to the title last season.

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Reflecting on his first few months at Liverpool, Isak told Sky Sports: “It’s not been easy, of course, individually and also collectively. We’ve not had the best results lately. Of course, I wish more from me as well, so I think that’s pretty obvious. I’m trying to stay positive, we as a team as well, it’s a really good group and we’re just looking forward and trying to do better as a team.

“I expect to do much more of course, I always do that. Even when I do really well, I want more, so that’s not a problem for me. But yeah, I’m trying to stay positive, trying to work to do better and that’s what we’re looking to do.

“I think obviously I’m the first one to know and I know best when I’m doing good and when I’m not doing good. So I don’t need anyone to tell me how I’m doing, so that’s not a problem for me.”

When asked if he had felt at 100 per cent at any stage for Liverpool, Isak said: “I would probably say no, physically. I probably haven’t felt at my best. But yeah, that’s not really the way I judge myself either. When I’m on the pitch, I want to do well anyway. But yeah, obviously, there’s more of me.”

Speaking about his final days at Newcastle, Isak added: “I don’t really reflect on it that much. It is in the past, my focus is here. It is best to just stay in the moment.”

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted on Friday that his side aren’t currently playing to Isak’s strengths as they look to be “more compact” in a bid to stop conceding so many goals.

The Dutchman said: “He is not the only No.9 who suffers in some games from not getting many chances. At this level it’s not like the No.9 is involved in eight, nine, 10 chances every single half. But it is obvious and clear that we want to bring him into more threatening situations.

“Before we went to only one goal conceded in two games [West Ham and Sunderland] we had a lot of chances. Because we are a little bit more compact and not taking as many risks, we have not been able to create as many chances as all of the games before. It is definitely one of the things on my list of things to improve to get our No.9 more involved in the game and more involved in the final third.”