Alexander Isak First Liverpool Player Since 1906 to Hit Worrying Landmark
Alexander Isak equalled an unwanted 119-year-old record during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Isak started the match as his side fell to their sixth defeat in seven matches, which leaves them in 11th place after 12 league games.
Strikes from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White ensured Forest took all three points back to the East Midlands from Anfield for the second year running, having beaten Liverpool 1-0 on Merseyside last term.
Despite having 75 per cent possession and 20 shots throughout the game, Liverpool could not make the pressure pay in the final third while appearing fragile in defence.
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Several players put in lacklustre showings, including centre-back Ibrahima Konate, who was withdrawn at half-time.
Meanwhile, £125 million British record signing Isak struggled to trouble the away side before being substituted with just over 20 minutes left.
The Sweden international has registered just one goal and one assist in his nine Liverpool appearances since arriving from Newcastle during the summer transfer window, with his solitary strike coming against Southampton in the Carabao Cup third round back in September.
And it’s fair to say Isak has not had the impact that was expected of him, having achieved very little in a Liverpool shirt to this point.
But the forward did, in fact, equal an unwanted record against Forest.
The Sweden international became the first player to lose each of his first four top-flight league starts for Liverpool since Percy Saul 119 years ago in 1906, according to Opta’s Michael Reid.
The statistics from his performance also don’t reflect well on Isak, who had just 14 touches, the least of any of the Reds’ starters, while no other Liverpool outfield player recorded fewer touches than 40 during the 26-year-old’s 67-minute showing.
It also took the striker 64 minutes to register a goal attempt, and even that was a scruffed shot.
Following the match, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk appeared to call out his teammates without naming any particular player.
“It's a problem,” Van Dijk said.
“Everyone in the team has to take responsibility as well. Football is a team and everyone has to take responsibility. We have to digest this and take it on the chin. We need to work harder. We have to keep going.”
Isak’s Liverpool return to action at home against PSV in the Champions League on November 26 before they travel to West Ham on November 30.
Topics: Alexander Isak, Football, Premier League, Nottingham Forest, Virgil Van Dijk
Luke Davies