‘He needs to toughen up’

Alexander Isak has been told he needs to “toughen up” and accused of not doing enough to play for Liverpool after a season ravaged by injury.

Isak was the most expensive of a raft of signings made by the Merseysiders last summer, joining from Newcastle for a British-record £125million, but has seen his debut year at Anfield severely disrupted.

He joined short of fitness and then broke his leg in the act of scoring at Tottenham in December.

Having gradually worked his way back, he then sat out Sunday’s defeat at Manchester United due to what was described as a ‘minor groin strain’.

That has not gone down well with former Liverpool midfielder Don Hutchison, who believes the striker is unwilling to play through the pain barrier.

Speaking to BestBettingSites, Hutchison said: “Can Isak score 20 goals next season? Twenty appearances. That’s more likely.

“I mean, it’s not just the Isak thing, in my opinion. I think Premier League footballers now need to toughen up a lot because I’m seeing far too many players pull out with things like niggles. ‘Oh, he’s got a niggle. He won’t be fit this week; he’ll be fit next week.’ Take an injection, man. Get yourself fit.

“If I’m Alexander Isak, the first question I’m asking my physios and the doctors for a game against Manchester United with a groin injury is: ‘Can I get an injection so I can play against Man United?’ ‘Yes, you can.’ ‘Right, give me it then.’”

Hutchison – signing Isak was a mistake, Liverpool should have signed Alvarez

Hutchison, who played for Liverpool between 1991 and 1994 and also enjoyed spells at Everton, Sunderland and West Ham among others, says it was a mistake to sign Isak as well as Hugo Ekitike, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Alexander Isak’s Premier League stats this season:

Isak has scored just three goals in the Premier League this season and the former Scotland international believes the club would have been better trying to lure Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.

He added: “I wouldn’t have signed Alexander Isak; I would have broken the bank for Julian Alvarez.

“I don’t know in what world, really, you sign two Harry Kanes, you sign two Erling Haalands – you signed two Isaks in him and Ekitike.

“They’re both the same player. So again, it goes back to the board and what they thought. Maybe the board were arrogant and thought: ‘Yeah, we’ll get Ekitike. Yeah, we’ll get [Florian] Wirtz. Yeah, we’ll get Isak. We’re going to be amazing.’

“Sometimes you’ve got to buy the right players for the team.”

Liverpool should sack Slot and bring in Alonso

It has been a difficult season for Liverpool and boss Arne Slot, and they head into the weekend clash against Chelsea in fourth place.

Hutchison believes a change in the dugout is needed in the summer and says Xabi Alonso is the right man for the job.

He said: “The elephant in the room as well is we haven’t seen the best of Jeremie Frimpong and we haven’t seen the best of Florian Wirtz.

“Xabi Alonso managed these two guys at Leverkusen last season. So, it screams to me: bring him in to get the best out of those two and to add more style and substance to what Liverpool have got.”