How Liverpool Could Line Up With Alexander Isak

Signing two top-class strikers in the same window? Liverpool are throwing things back to the 90s.

The Premier League champions have embarked on the most aggressive of summers off the back of last season’s triumph, seemingly intent on asserting Manchester City-like dominance on the division for years to come.

They’ve so far rejuvenated at full-back and acquired a pair of highly-coveted Bundesliga attacking assets in Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké, but it’s long been established that the Reds weren’t done in the market. To finish things off, Liverpool are set to reveal their crown jewel.

The Alexander Isak saga has embarked on bitter twists and turns, with the Swede intent on ending his journey in the North East in order to join Arne Slot’s champions. Ekitiké’s bright start to life on Merseyside raised debate as to whether a monster splurge on Isak was necessary, but Liverpool have lost three attackers this summer and sold well enough to facilitate the record-breaking buy on Deadline Day.

Still, Slot has his work cut out if he’s to appease the wealth of attacking riches at his disposal. Here’s how they could line up with the addition of Isak.

Partnership with Hugo Ekitiké

After signing Ekitiké amid the Isak saga, Slot said that he envisages the Frenchman playing up top with another No. 9. With the Swedish hitman through the door at Anfield, many are expecting the pair to line up together.

Thus, we could see Slot adopt a 4-2-4 system, which is often how Liverpool set up with the ball last season. Ekitiké worked brilliantly alongside Omar Marmoush at Eintracht Frankfurt during the first half of 2024–25, and he’s already highlighted his credentials as a do-it-all forward during his brief time with the Reds.

However, both Isak and Ekitiké have a preference for drifting towards the left flank, and some may project an attacking imbalance if the pair were to line up together. Slot has to get Wirtz in the team, too, and he’d likely operate off the left but have the freedom to drift infield when Milos Kerkez advances from left-back.

Liverpool need to get Wirtz functioning from the left half-space as much as possible, and he could rotate freely with the front two. However, the opposite space on the right also has to be occupied. Could Mohamed Salah drift inside or Jeremie Frimpong emerge as an underlapping threat?

Moreover, we’d likely see Isak and Ekitiké operate as connectors in this system, with countermovements key to their success. When one drops in, the other must aim to stretch the backline. Fortunately, the pair can do both.

Lone Striker

Liverpool’s two new strikers aren’t drastically different in profile, so there’s scope for Slot to deploy a mightily fluid system of choice, no matter the configuration.

While Ekitiké has had success as the starting No. 9 already, Isak is being signed to be the main man. If Slot opts against the gung-ho two-striker system and sticks with the 4-2-3-1 that’s been in place since the start of his tenure, Isak will get the nod up top. Ekitiké will likely displace Cody Gakpo, who recently penned a contract extension and certainly isn’t out of the picture, down the left-hand side, essentially functioning as a Luis Díaz replacement.

Isak has almost exclusively been utilised as a centre-forward throughout his senior career, and will be expected to be the focal point of Liverpool’s attack, despite the presence of an all-time great down the right.

Isak Starting Out Wide

Ekitiké may be better suited to playing out wide under Slot, thanks to his excellent footwork and ability to outmanoeuvre opponents one-on-one. However, there will doubtless be occasions when Isak drifts out wide, rotating with his French counterpart.

The Swede’s outstanding assist for Jacob Murphy two seasons ago at Goodison Park came courtesy of a ballerina-like sequence down the touchline and byline. Isak, too, is excellent in tight spaces and more than useful when isolated against a defender.

With Kerkez marauding from left-back and Wirtz preferring to operate from that side of the pitch, there will be connections and combinations aplenty. Liverpool will overwhelm most with their sheer might of talent down the left, and the starting centre-forward will only benefit from their capacity to pick locks and manipulate defensive blocks.