Arne Slot responds to Alexander Isak criticism with 'obvious' Erling Haaland comparison

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Arne Slot believes Alexander Isak could be suffering from a similar problem to Erling Haaland - but knows what he needs to do to fix it. The Swedish forward has endured a slow start to life at Liverpool since his £125m move from Premier League rivals Newcastle .

Isak has scored just two goals so far - his only league strike coming against West Ham last weekend. His involvement over the past few weeks has also waned, with the Reds taking a slightly more defensive approach.

Taking a close look at the striker’s form, Liverpool boss Slot has suggested that he is not the only Premier League forward who has limited involvement. But he claims that it is now down to the Reds to ensure Isak’s limited contributions end up being decisive.

"He isn't the only No 9 that suffers in some games of not getting many chances,” Slot said ahead of this weekend’s trip to Leeds United . “It is obvious and clear to me that we want to get him into more threatening situations.

"We have been a little more compact in the last two games and as a result, have not created as many chances as we were in the games before. It is definitely one of the things for us to improve, to get the No 9 more involved in the game and more involved in the final third.

"In this league, strikers don't touch the ball that much but a few times they do touch it, it's quite nice they finish it off.

"I have no clue what Haaland's stats are. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't touch the ball so many times in a game but he scores a lot. It is more important to touch the ball at the right time.

"That is the big difference between Haaland and Isak, is that he touches the ball more times in moments that matter. We, and he, have to improve, that is obvious."

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What's gone wrong for Isak so far at Liverpool? Share your thoughts in the comments below

Unlike Isak, Manchester City star Haaland is in the middle of another sensational season. The Norwegian striker already has 20 goals in all competitions for City, with his latest strike against Fulham seeing him reach the 100 mark in the Premier League.

Kop captain Virgil van Dijk has been another in the Liverpool camp to jump to Isak’s defence. Speaking after he finally opened his league account against West Ham , he said: "It was great to see Alexander Isak score his first Premier League goal for the club.

“Alex has not had the easiest time since joining, as I’m sure he would tell you himself, but he has been working extremely hard behind the scenes, and we know the quality he possesses. He is a clinical finisher, and hopefully that was the first of many league goals in a Liverpool shirt.”

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