Slot hails ‘important’ Isak goal as Liverpool beat West Ham

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Alexander Isak’s first Premier League goal for the club was “important for both the player and the team” as the defending English champions halted their slump with a 2–0 win over West Ham on Sunday.

Isak had gone five league games without scoring since his British-record £125 million ($165 million) switch from Newcastle in September, with his only goal for the Reds coming in the League Cup. But the Swedish striker broke his drought with a composed finish at the London Stadium, before Cody Gakpo added a stoppage-time second to seal a vital victory.

The win ended a miserable run of nine defeats in 12 matches across all competitions.

“It’s very important for us as a team to go 1–0 up, but I think it was also important for him,” Slot said. “It was his third or fourth big chance of the game. I don’t think he had more than 10 minutes left in him, so to score just before coming off was important for us — and for him.”

Slot also made headlines with a bold selection call, dropping Mohamed Salah in an effort to arrest Liverpool’s alarming form. It was the first time the Egyptian star had been left out of a Premier League starting XI since April 2024, also away to West Ham.

Salah, who came on as a substitute in that match, remained on the bench throughout Sunday’s game, with Hugo Ekitike introduced shortly after Isak’s goal instead.

“Mo has had an unbelievable career at this club and will have a very good future here because he’s such a special player,” Slot said. “But we have four games in 10 days and only 14 or 15 outfield players available. Sometimes you have to make certain choices and pick the best line-up for each game.”