You may make a powerful case that this yr’s Carabao Cup closing will see Europe’s most threatening striker come up towards its strongest centre-back.
Alexander Isak has scored 22 targets in all competitions this season as he seems to be to surpass a career-best tally of 25, achieved in 2023-24. If he needs so as to add to that complete on Sunday, he’ll possible have to get the higher of Liverpool’s imperious captain, Virgil van Dijk.
However for some tightness in his groin, Isak may have gotten in some additional observe towards Van Dijk in final month’s Premier League match at Anfield — a sport during which Newcastle have been comfortably crushed after failing to register a single shot on course.
Even with out Isak within the facet that evening, Van Dijk made certain to present the Sweden worldwide the reward he deserved earlier than their impending battle at Wembley.
“A closing is all the time completely different and we’re very cautious of the risk they possess,” Van Dijk mentioned after his facet’s 2-0 win on February 26. “We all know Isak is certainly essentially the most in-form striker in the mean time in world soccer, so you already know when he’s again that can give them a lift.”
On the one hand, the broad statistics assist us draw a easy conclusion concerning the pair’s earlier battles. Liverpool have gained 4 and drawn one of many video games during which Van Dijk and Isak have each began for his or her respective sides.
Nevertheless, to say the Dutch worldwide has had issues his personal means throughout these 5 video games would solely be telling half the story.
Isak has scored three and assisted one of many seven targets Newcastle have managed when going through Liverpool in that point. Solely Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Solly March (each 5) have extra mixed targets and assists towards Liverpool because the begin of 2022-23 — with neither being centre-forwards aiming to lock horns with Liverpool’s centre-backs.
Put merely, Isak has brought on Liverpool’s captain points each time the pair have shared the identical turf. So what can we anticipate on Sunday?
Given Isak tends to float to the left facet of Newcastle’s assault, it might be that Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate is the person who needs to be extra conscious of the 25-year-old’s risk.
Not together with final season’s sport, when Van Dijk was despatched off — don’t fear, we’ll get to that — you’ll be able to see Isak’s tendency to tug away from the Dutchman’s facet in his early matches, earlier than going toe-to-toe in his final two video games towards Liverpool.
There are usually not too many strikers who can match Van Dijk’s bodily attributes by way of tempo, energy, and top, and there are indicators the 33-year-old performs barely in another way towards Isak for that motive.
Van Dijk doesn’t usually search out defensive work for himself, however in every sport they’ve performed, there’s a better inclination to get touch-tight to Isak to nullify any risk earlier than it actually develops — whether or not that be near his personal penalty space or pushing excessive to observe Isak’s deeper runs.
With Isak pulling into these wider left channels in Newcastle’s assault, there are even events of Van Dijk being prepared to float out of place — working throughout his personal centre-back — to observe the Sweden worldwide reasonably than go him onto a team-mate.
Such is the risk he provides that Isak has the power to pull Van Dijk into areas he doesn’t need to be in.
Liverpool’s captain sees it as one thing of an insult if he’s ever requested to place the afterburners on and have interaction in a dash, however he was compelled to match Isak’s velocity and pull throughout to the far touchline to interact throughout their most up-to-date assembly at St James’ Park.
Not many centre-forwards go up towards Van Dijk in a one-on-one battle and are available out the opposite facet with the ball at their toes, however Isak managed to tug forward of the defender, which acted as a warning signal inside the opening quarter-hour of December’s match.
Isak had clearly spooked Van Dijk along with his motion and it was solely 20 minutes later that he punished some uncharacteristically confused defending with an unbelievable end.
Stationed between Liverpool’s centre-backs, Isak acquired a punched ball from Bruno Guimaraes along with his left foot. Word that Newcastle’s No 14 isn’t within the eyeline of Van Dijk, forcing the Dutchman to swivel his physique rapidly when the go is made — which means there’s a interval when he’s not wanting on the man or ball as he seems to be to regain his orientation (see body 2 beneath).
Because the outdated soccer adage goes, when a striker can see the defender’s quantity, they know they’ve crushed them. Isak’s shot from distance is elegant, however the motion and velocity of motion are what flip Van Dijk inside out to create separation.
Taking part in on the final line is a very robust a part of Isak’s sport. He tends to begin in an offside place earlier than dropping again onside simply because the opposition again line drops.
Very like an old-school No 9, Isak will place himself between the centre-backs to keep away from being marked and assault the area in behind following a team-mate’s by way of ball. This may be seen from the 2 groups’ assembly in December…
… however it’s a sequence that has confirmed profitable for Isak towards Liverpool’s again line.
Of their sport at Anfield final season, it was an analogous sequence that featured Anthony Gordon slicing inside from the touchline earlier than enjoying a purposeful slide go behind the Liverpool defensive position. Isak barely wanted to interrupt stride as he ran between the centre-backs to complete past Alisson.
Earlier that season, it was an equivalent sequence that led to Van Dijk’s dismissal at St James’ Park. Gordon comes inside, Isak is positioned between the centre-backs and a by way of ball permits Newcastle’s ahead to race away.
If not for Van Dijk’s swipe at Isak during which he took man then ball, you’d have possible seen one other coolly taken end from Isak. Had it been one other, less-threatening Premier League striker, you might be assured Van Dijk would have merely ushered his man away from aim with out making a problem.
Newcastle’s damage and suspension points imply Eddie Howe’s facet is not going to be at full energy at Wembley — significantly down their left facet — however they are going to present a bodily battle with their typical vitality throughout the pitch.
Liverpool are the one ever-present Premier League facet Howe has did not beat in any competitors since taking cost of Newcastle in November 2021, however any workforce with Isak has a preventing likelihood.
Crucially, if any striker may very well be named as Van Dijk’s kryptonite lately, it will be Isak.
(High picture: Justin Setterfield/Getty Photos)