Former Premier League striker Dwight Yorke has criticised Arne Slot's handling of Alexander Isak at Liverpool, claiming the constant rotation with Hugo Ekitike undermined the Swedish forward's confidence and hindered his recovery from a serious injury.
Isak's struggles at Liverpool
Liverpool signed Isak from Newcastle United for a club-record £125m in July 2025, but the striker endured a difficult debut season under Slot. He arrived unfit, then suffered a broken leg against Tottenham Hotspur in December, ruling him out for over three months. After returning, he failed to recapture the form that made him one of Europe's most feared forwards at Newcastle.
Yorke, who won three Premier League titles with Manchester United, told BOYLE Sports: "Alexander Isak has been in a difficult situation. I was a huge fan of his when he was at Newcastle United but I never knew the injuries that he has had so I don't know what kind of mentality he has needed to come back from that to be the same player. It's always the same. After major injuries you've never quite the same and he hasn't looked anywhere near to the player I loved at Newcastle."
Rotation with Ekitike blamed
Yorke was particularly critical of Slot's decision to regularly rotate Isak with fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike, who was also brought in for a substantial fee. The former striker believes this created doubt in Isak's mind at a time when he needed reassurance.
"When Ekitike was keeping Isak out of the team, you're not feeling like you're worth £120m and that's when the doubts start to kick in," Yorke said. "And you've got the previous manager messing you around and not playing you, chopping and changing every few seconds. Liverpool were never going to get the best out of a player like Isak in that environment, I don't think."
Yorke added: "If you're a striker, you want to be told you're the number one, and if you're not getting that message from the manager, then you've got a long season ahead of you. It's not the situation you want to be in."
Fresh start under Iraola
Isak now has a fresh start under new head coach Andoni Iraola, who succeeded Slot in the summer of 2026. Yorke is cautiously optimistic but unsure whether Isak can fully regain his best form. "I think he's working extremely hard. He's really trying to get back to that level. I'm just not sure if that's going to happen for him," he said.
Despite Isak's struggles, Yorke believes Liverpool remain serious title contenders after spending around £500m on new players in recent transfer windows. "If you spend £500m on new players you're a threat. That's it. Otherwise, what's the point? You can't spend £500m to go backwards," he said.
"Liverpool are coming into this season wanting to win the Premier League title. This squad has got the taste for winning titles in the Premier League and the Champions League. They want to win it all again. When you're signing players for £116m and £120m, these are the numbers that mean you have to win the league."
Yorke also noted that Manchester City are in a period of transition, leaving the title race wide open. "Any team that has something about them can win the Premier League this season, no problem. I'm not buying into this idea that Liverpool are going to be way off. No chance. Not with the investment that's gone into that squad over the last few years," he concluded.
