Iraola faces puzzle over how to unlock Isak's potential at Liverpool

As Liverpool pushed to avoid exceeding the club-record £125m they paid for Alexander Isak last summer during talks over Bradley Barcola, attention has turned to how the Swedish striker is being used under new manager Andoni Iraola.

Isak scored 44 Premier League goals across his final two seasons at Newcastle, but managed just three goals in 14 top-flight appearances during an injury-hit debut campaign at Anfield. For Iraola, now two games into his Liverpool tenure, getting the best from Isak is a central challenge, with the striker looking largely ineffective in Saturday's 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest despite finding the net.

Former England goalkeeper and pundit Joe Hart said Liverpool have not yet worked out how to play with Isak. He pointed to the trust built between Isak and his Newcastle team-mates, who instinctively knew his positioning, contrasting it with the current lack of connection at Liverpool that has left the striker looking isolated.

In the first half against Forest, Isak touched the ball just six times and had no shots. After the break, however, he timed his run perfectly to convert a Cody Gakpo delivery, scoring his first goal of the season and helping secure a point.

Hart said Iraola faces a significant decision on whether to build the team around Isak or seek an alternative approach, arguing there is little point investing so heavily in a player without using him to his strengths.

Liverpool's opening two league games have both ended 2-2, despite the side enjoying a majority of possession in each. In both matches they found themselves behind, a scenario that complicates life for Isak, who thrived in a counter-attacking system at Newcastle rather than against defensive opponents.

The situation is further complicated by Iraola's history at Bournemouth, where his team performed better with less possession, suggesting a broader tactical adjustment may be needed at Anfield.