In a moment that captures the cruel duality of football, Liverpool’s record-breaking striker Alexander Isak completed the act of scoring against Tottenham Hotspur only to be immediately felled by the injury that now threatens his season.
The club confirmed on Monday that the Swedish international has successfully undergone surgery on an ankle injury that included a fracture of the fibula, beginning a rehabilitation process with no definitive return date but expected to keep him sidelined for several months.
This devastating setback, suffered in the very action of securing three points for his team, represents not just a significant blow to Liverpool’s campaign but a painful interruption to Isak’s already stuttering start to life at Anfield.
The incident occurred during the 56th minute of Liverpool’s crucial 2-1 away victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this past Saturday. After coming on at half-time, Isak expertly finished a pass from Florian Wirtz to give his side the lead.
However, in executing the shot, he was caught by a late, sliding challenge from Spurs defender Micky van de Ven. The striker signaled immediately for medical attention, and though a stretcher was brought onto the pitch, he eventually left the field with assistance, unable to celebrate his crucial contribution.
The club’s statement on Monday outlined the severity of the aftermath: “After diagnosis, an operation was completed today on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture. Isak’s rehabilitation will now continue at the AXA Training Centre, with no timeframe yet placed on his return”. While the club has deliberately avoided setting a public timeline, reports indicate the 26-year-old faces an absence of at least a few months, with the possibility of a longer spell out depending on his recovery progress.
For Alexander Isak, the injury is a particularly bitter pill to swallow, compounding a difficult and disjointed first chapter at Liverpool. His British-record £125 million move from Newcastle United was protracted, finalized only in September after he had effectively withdrawn from the squad at his former club to force the transfer.
This meant he arrived at Anfield without the benefit of a full pre-season, immediately playing catch-up on fitness. Just as he was being gradually integrated into manager Arne Slot’s plans, a separate groin injury struck in October, sidelining him for five matches across all competitions.
Consequently, his goal at Tottenham was just his third in 16 appearances for the Reds, and only his second in the Premier League. The promise of a potent partnership with creative force Florian Wirtz, which yielded that final goal, has been put on indefinite hold.
From a team perspective, the timing of Isak’s injury could scarcely be worse for Liverpool. The reigning champions have navigated a turbulent season, seeing their title defence unravel between September and November with a shocking run of six losses in seven league games.
They have only recently begun to stabilize, with the win at Spurs extending an unbeaten league run to five matches and lifting them to fifth in the table. However, Slot’s attacking resources are now stretched perilously thin.
Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah is away on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, and forward Cody Gakpo is also sidelined with a muscle injury and not expected back until early in the new year. This leaves summer signing Hugo Ekitike and the sparingly used Federico Chiesa as the only senior forwards available.
The burden, therefore, falls squarely on the shoulders of Ekitike, another off-season acquisition who has, in contrast to Isak, adapted swiftly to the demands of English football. The French international has scored 11 goals so far this season, including eight in the Premier League, and is in rich form with five goals in his last four league outings.
His composed finish secured the victory against Tottenham after Isak went off, and he now has a clear opportunity to establish himself as the focal point of Liverpool’s attack during a critical period of the season. As noted by pundits, this crisis may also influence the club’s strategic decisions.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, speaking to Sky Sports, suggested the injury all but guarantees Mohamed Salah will remain at the club beyond the January transfer window, despite recent speculation about his future. “I think for certain now Mo Salah will be staying at the club,” Carragher said.
The injury also raises pressing questions about Liverpool’s activity in the January transfer window, which opens in just over a week. The squad’s lack of depth in the forward positions has been exposed, and the club may feel compelled to enter the market to secure cover.
Antoine Semenyo, the Bournemouth winger who has a reported buyout clause, has been linked with a move to Anfield. However, the club has historically been reluctant to make panic buys. Carragher reflected this cautious approach, stating, “I don’t think Liverpool, when you go back a few years, when they had a real problem at centre-back, they didn’t go and spend big money on someone they didn’t want. They won’t go out and buy a striker who they don’t really want”.
Other internal solutions could include recalling young attacker Harvey Elliott from his loan spell at Aston Villa.
Beyond the confines of Merseyside, the injury is a significant blow to the Swedish national team and their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Sweden is scheduled to face Ukraine in a European playoff semi-final in March, a high-stakes match for which their star striker and talisman is now a major doubt.
The extent of the setback was lamented by Carragher, who called it “really bad luck for Isak,” adding, “It’s probably one of the first glimpses we’ve seen of his real quality in a Liverpool shirt”.