How defeat vs Newcastle can actually help Liverpool seal deal for Alexander Isak
Liverpool’s trip to Newcastle United has been dominated by talk of Alexander Isak.
Isak, 25, is heavily linked with a move to the Reds, with the Swede currently on strike at the Magpies after requesting to leave.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool travel to Newcastle on Monday looking to make it two wins from two in the league after defeating Bournemouth 4-2 on the opening night.
Eddie Howe’s team drew 0-0 at 10-man Aston Villa last time out, which saw Newcastle fans turn against Isak after the game.
The Champions are favourites to get the job done at St. James’ Park, but a defeat may not be the worst fate for Slot.
Loss to Newcastle could fast-track Alexander Isak deal
Liverpool have an incredible recent record against the Magpies, having not lost to the Geordies in the Premier League since December 2015.
However, Slot has had continued problems against Eddie Howe since arriving at Anfield, most notably Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final back in March.
Another defeat would hurt the Dutchman, but it could give the Geordies a false sense of security that could get the Isak to Liverpool deal over the line.
Newcastle struggled to score against Aston Villa due to having no striker, with Anthony Elanga and Anthony Gordon both missing huge chances that the Swede surely would’ve buried.
A Liverpool win with a clean sheet would confirm the Magpies’ concerns and could force them to double down on their stance for Isak.
If Newcastle are victorious, however, they could be confident with Gordon in a central role and attempt to end the toxic situation by selling the Swede to the Merseysiders for a British record fee.
Liverpool need to focus on results not transfers
As much as Liverpool will be doing everything they possibly can to get the Isak deal over the line, they need to focus on results on the pitch.
The Reds have had one of the best transfer windows in the country, spending close to £300million on star talent like Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike.
| Club | Total spending |
| Liverpool | £294.3m |
| Arsenal | £254.3m |
| Chelsea | £242.3m |
| Manchester United | £199m |
| Manchester City | £153.3m |
The Swede would make Liverpool a superteam, but he shouldn’t be seen as a necessity to a point where a defeat can be turned into a positive.
With Manchester City losing to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, a win has become a must for Arne Slot, as he needs to build a lead over Pep Guardiola early in the season.
Sign up for the Liverpool News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Liverpool news sent straight to your phone.