Isak Demands Higher Standards as Liverpool Wait for First Premier League Win
Alexander Isak has called on his Liverpool teammates to raise their performance levels after the Reds were held to another Premier League draw under Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday, meaning they must wait even longer for their first league victory of the season under their new manager.
The result once again highlighted Liverpool’s fighting spirit, with Iraola’s side recovering from behind twice. However, Isak believes determination alone will not be enough if the Reds are to achieve their ambitions this season.
Liverpool endured a difficult start and fell behind when Dan Ndoye opened the scoring for Forest. Isak then restored parity before Morgan Gibbs-White put the visitors back in front from the penalty spot.
The hosts eventually rescued a point through a spectacular strike from substitute Victor Munoz in the 82nd minute.
For Isak, the main issue is not a lack of commitment or desire. Instead, the Sweden international believes Liverpool must become more composed and efficient when momentum swings in their favour.
“I don’t think there is a problem with the fighting spirit or the desire not to give up. We showed that last week as well. But today, once again, we started the game poorly,” Isak told TNT Sports.
The former Newcastle United striker believes Liverpool must learn to take greater control of matches once they regain momentum.
“Once we get the momentum after scoring, that is where we need to improve. Once again today, we conceded quite quickly after equalising,” he added.
Those lapses have become a recurring problem during Iraola’s opening fixtures. Liverpool have shown considerable character to recover from setbacks, but their inability to capitalise on positive moments has prevented them from turning those comebacks into victories.
The draw against Forest therefore extends Iraola’s wait for his first Premier League win as Liverpool manager. While the team’s resilience has been encouraging, consistency and game management remain significant areas for improvement.
For Liverpool, the message from Isak is clear: fighting until the final whistle is important, but competing for major honours will require a higher level of performance from the opening minute until the last.
