Arne Slot explains why Alexander Isak “could benefit” from return of 2 Liverpool players

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Alexander Isak has struggled to have an impact at Liverpool across his 12 appearances so far, but Arne Slot is of the belief that his returning right-backs could assist the striker.Isak has two goals in 12 outings for Liverpool but has found himself isolated during matches, exemplified by his meagre 14 touches in 86 minutes against Sunderland in midweek.Slot told reporters on Friday that “it’s definitely on my list of things to improve, getting our No. 9 more involved in the game,” and later expanded on which two players may help unlock his striker.“With Jeremie Frimpong being injured and Conor Bradley being out, it is not like we have so many options on the right-hand side and it is a bit similar on the left side,” Slot said, via the Liverpool Echo.“Alex could benefit maybe from a Conor Bradley or a Jeremie Frimpong type of player, who goes outside, instead of both wingers we have who come inside and full-backs who can come in with crosses. “But the main difference for him is that we are facing here many times a low block and it is not that it never happened at Newcastle but not as much, I think.“I think this season the league has changed, we see so many more low blocks than I saw last season. But I see this not only against us, I see this in many games.“It makes it harder for him compared to his time at Newcastle, but I think it is also him adjusting to his team-mates and his team-mates adjusting to him.“But it is obvious and clear that we don’t have the profile of Jacob Murphy for example available at this moment at this time.”At Newcastle, Jacob Murphy set Isak up 11 times in total, creating a partnership that unlocked the Swede and that Slot will be eager to replicate.Bradley and Frimpong have missed a combined 16 games to date and their absence has forced Slot to name midfielders at right-back, and most recently Joe Gomez.This has led Liverpool to be narrow in possession and without an overlapping runner, and Isak has had a combined seven touches inside the opposition box in his last three league starts.Bradley and Frimpong have the capabilities to stretch the opposition and create a threat of crosses and overlaps on the right, which differs from Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo as they prefer to cut in.Thankfully for Slot, Bradley is expected to return to the squad at Leeds, and Frimpong is due to mark his team training comeback next week, and Liverpool’s job will then be to keep them fit.Their presence alone will not be the solution, Liverpool’s issues are deeper than that, but they could help Isak see more of the ball and thus help create shots on goal.