Alexander Isak scored in a 2-0 win over Brighton on Sunday that gave Liverpool their first league win at Anfield this season. The Sweden striker is finally living up to his price tag, with six league goals already this campaign.
Isak arrived at Anfield amid huge fanfare in August 2025, when he signed from Newcastle for a British record £125m. A slow start and a broken leg in December made his first season at the club a nightmare, and he scored just four goals in 22 games.
Isak delivers when it matters
The 27-year-old is averaging almost a goal per game and has scored more than half of Liverpool’s Premier League goals this season. Only Erling Haaland, with nine, has scored more league goals this season. Liverpool expected numbers like these when they signed him.
Isak did not dominate the game, but his goal again proved crucial, as it did the previous weekend at Brentford. It gave Liverpool breathing room against a Brighton side that had 64% possession and finished with a higher xG than Liverpool. Liverpool saw the game out and produced arguably their finest league display under Iraola.
During Isak’s struggles in an injury-hit 2025-26 campaign, the club believed he was a long-term signing and would reserve judgement until he was fully fit. Recent performances suggest that patience is paying off. “Today, the performance was really good against a really good team,” Isak said. “The first half is really what we want to be about – winning balls and the intensity.”
A disciplined defensive display
Liverpool started aggressively and defended well to keep a Brighton side that had scored 15 league goals in their previous four games at bay. Apart from an early chance for Yasin Ayari, which he blazed over, Brighton created no major chances. Ronald Araujo was again immense, and the backline kept its fourth clean sheet in eight league games this season.
Liverpool’s possession of 35.6% was their second-lowest in a Premier League home win since 2003-04. With the quality they have going forward, Liverpool appear comfortable letting opponents have the ball, especially when it means those teams do not sit in a low block.
Wirtz and Barcola shine
Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola were both excellent, and Cody Gakpo threatened all afternoon. Wirtz was unlucky not to get credit for the opener, as his strike deflected off Pascal Gross and gave Liverpool the lead.
Wirtz’s confidence is growing in a Liverpool shirt, and his impact on games is clear. He still needs his goal tally to rise, though. He was substituted in the second half after a small twist of the ankle. “Unfortunately, he had to leave the pitch with a small twist of the ankle,” Iraola said. “It doesn’t look very big but we are playing every three days so we need to see where he is.”
Barcola’s energy lifted the crowd, and his work for Isak’s goal reflected exactly what Iraola wanted: a high press and a relentless desire to win the ball back. That left Isak to finish instinctively, and Barcola copied Isak’s celebration, just as they did the previous weekend in west London. The win moved Liverpool up to fourth.
The combination of Isak, Wirtz and Barcola cost the club a total of £248m. If they keep combining and winning games, Iraola and Liverpool will be more than satisfied. Next up is Arsenal in the league. “Alex [Isak] is threatening, especially if we can get him in those positions and we can provide him good crosses,” Iraola said. “In this case, it’s a matter of Bradley [Barcola] winning the duel and being faster than the opposition to get us in that position.”