A shocking statistic about Alexander Isak has emerged following Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The Reds suffered back-to-back losses for only the second time under Arne Slot, having also been beaten late on by Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend.

So far, things just haven’t clicked for the Premier League champions in the same way they did last season. Even their run of seven straight wins across all competitions at the start of the campaign carried an air of inevitability that struggles would soon follow. Late goals had often papered over the cracks, but after a summer of heavy spending, Liverpool look no stronger in attack and worryingly fragile in defence.

Isak, who was at the centre of the summer’s biggest transfer saga, sealed a British-record £125 million move from Newcastle to Liverpool on deadline day. While he has been gradually building fitness and match sharpness to make a bigger impact, a statistic from his 36-minute cameo in Istanbul suggests he is still some way off reaching the level that is needed for him to start over Hugo Ekitike.

Shocking Alexander Isak Stat From Liverpool’s Loss to Galatasaray

Liverpool’s recruitment team placed so much emphasis on rebuilding the forward line that many expected the Reds to tear teams apart this season. Regardless of defensive frailties, the assumption was that Slot’s attacking firepower would allow the champions to outscore most opponents.

Yet, with the side looking disjointed across the pitch, the forwards have barely had the chance to live up to their billing. The point is underlined by the statistic that Isak, after coming off the bench in the 62nd minute, was left out in the cold and touched the ball just four times and completed only two passes against Galatasaray. See below:

Much of the lack of creativity in Liverpool’s setup could be laid at the feet of Florian Wirtz, who Jamie Carragher has suggested should be dropped after struggling to adapt to English football early in his Merseyside career. But Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo have also shown a noticeable dip in form compared to last season.

At present, it doesn’t seem like Slot knows his best lineup or which formation suits his players as well as he did during the successful 2024/25 campaign. This was highlighted by his decision to play Jeremie Frimpong on the right wing in Turkey and Dominik Szoboszlai at right back. While there’s no need to hit the panic button just yet, something will have to change in the coming weeks, as much of the promise that greeted the season is starting to fade.