Rush Predicts Isak Breakthrough After Injury-Hit First Season

Liverpool all-time leading goalscorer Ian Rush has backed Alexander Isak to "come alive this season" and help propel the club to success following a turbulent first campaign at Anfield.

The Swedish striker joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in a British-record transfer worth £125m last September but managed just 22 appearances in all competitions, netting four goals total. His season was severely hampered by a broken fibula and ankle injury suffered against Tottenham in December, resulting in a lengthy lay-off.

Isak did score one goal and register three assists for Sweden at the World Cup and made his return for Liverpool in their pre-season friendly loss to Leeds United on Sunday. Rush, who scored 346 goals for Liverpool, believes the extra time to settle back in with the team will help get Isak back to his best.

"Now He's Had a Proper Pre-Season"

"Well, hopefully so," Rush told Stats Perform when asked if Isak will benefit from playing under new coach Andoni Iraola. "I think he was unlucky with injuries last year. But when he's playing for Newcastle, he's probably had the best strike in the Premier League that year. We're looking for that again."

"Now he's played in the World Cup, he's come back and scored a goal. Now he's had a proper pre-season at Liverpool because if you miss pre-season, you're playing catch-up all the time, but now he's had a pre-season there. It's always nice to score in pre-season; it gives you confidence and all that. I'm expecting him to come alive this season, and if he does that, I think we'll be successful."

Newcastle Goal-Scoring Record

Isak spent three seasons with Newcastle, scoring in the EFL Cup final against Liverpool to help the Magpies end their long wait for a major trophy. He scored 62 goals across all competitions, with 54 of those coming in the Premier League.

In his final season at St. James' Park, Isak scored 23 Premier League goals – only Mohamed Salah (29) netted more – while he averaged a goal every 120.4 minutes.

Rush Praises Natural Ability

Rush is excited to see Isak get back to that form and show off the same threat he displayed while at Newcastle.

"He's fast, he's strong, but he's got a knack for goal," Rush said when asked what he liked about Isak's game. "I think as a striker, it's getting them chances when normal people don't do. His reading of the game as a striker, when I watched him for Newcastle, was very, very good."

"I think a striker is born with something, like myself, and he's born with something. He's still got to improve and do other things, but I think it's his natural ability, and he's got that natural ability."