Sweden head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson insists it would have been too much of a ‘risk’ to give Alexander Isak more minutes in the side’s shock World Cup qualifying defeat to Kosovo on Tuesday night.
Isak started amongst Tomasson’s substitutes in Pristina and remained on the bench until the 72nd minute, when he was brought on in place of Anthony Elanga.
While Isak’s quality showed almost immediately, Liverpool’s British record signing was ultimately unable to drag the visitors back into the contest, with a pair of first-half goals from Elvis Rexhbecaj and Vedat Muriqi proving decisive.
Isak’s only contribution of note in the match came when he was shown a yellow card in the 80th minute, before Kosovo’s Lindon Emerllahu was sent off at the death.
The result saw 95th-ranked Kosovo go second in Group B, three points behind leaders Switzerland, and third-placed Sweden now have a serious battle on their hands in securing a spot at next year’s tournament.
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Tomasson’s cautious approach with Isak’s fitness is perhaps unsurprising given the forward did not play for Newcastle at all in pre-season and is still yet to train or make his debut for Liverpool.
The attacker was also absent last Friday as Sweden drew 2-2 away to Slovenia, with Tomasson resisting the urge to bringing the attacker off the bench as an impact sub.
‘This was the maximum number of minutes I could give him,’ Tomasson told Viaplay in the wake of Sweden’s near-disastrous loss to Kosovo.
‘We have talked in recent days about what risks there are and what is not a risk. It is extremely difficult to take a risk.
‘I want to play him every minute. You can see right away that he is dangerous and creates things.
‘But we also need him next month, the month after that and next year.’
In the Viaplay studio, Swedish journalist Erik Niva speculated that Liverpool may have ‘ordered’ Tomasson to keep Isak’s minutes to a minimum.
It ended badly for all parties involved and Tomasson might have needed to be clearer from the start in explaining what was involved,’ Niva said
My impression is that Liverpool had ordered a maximum of 20 minutes, absolutely no more.
‘But that is speculation on my part and I don’t know for certain.’
Former Sweden and Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg agreed, saying that was also what he took from Tomasson’s post-match comments.
‘That’s what it sounded like. He said he played what he could,’ Ljungberg stated.
Niva chimed in again: ‘Yes, that’s the impression you get.
‘That it’s not about what Isak has been showing in training, but about directives higher up in the football food chain.’
Liverpool return to Premier League action away to newly promoted Burnley this weekend and it remains to be seen if Arne Slot will hand Isak his debut at Turf Moor.
The Premier League champions sit top of the table with a 100 per cent record after three games having defeated Bournemouth, Newcastle and Arsenal.
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