The international break has ended and the focus is back on club football, and for Liverpool supporters all eyes are on Turf Moor where Arne Slot’s team will face Burnley in the Premier League. The headlines may say it is just another game against a newly promoted side, but for Liverpool fans this is much more. It is the possible debut of Alexander Isak, the £125 million record signing who has been the talk of Merseyside since deadline day. His name has been whispered, sung, and debated all summer long. His arrival was dramatic, his story full of tension and twists, and now finally, there is a chance he may step onto the pitch in a red shirt for the very first time. But as always in football, things are never straightforward. His fitness is still in question, Alexis Mac Allister is also not at full strength, and defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Ibrahima Konate have been nursing knocks. The Burnley game is coming with both excitement and nerves, and that is exactly what makes this match so fascinating.
For Alexander Isak, the journey to this point has been anything but smooth. He played competitive football for the first time since May only a few days ago, appearing for Sweden in their shocking defeat to Kosovo. He came off the bench for 18 minutes, a short cameo that showed both his hunger and his rustiness. He missed two big chances, chances he would normally bury with ease, and that told the story of a player who has not been at his sharpest. It was understandable. Isak had missed the entire preseason because of the bitter transfer battle with Newcastle United. He refused to play, refused to train properly, pushing for the move he wanted, and in the process he lost rhythm, match sharpness, and valuable preparation time. When he finally got his dream transfer to Liverpool, the excitement was huge, but the cost of the saga was clear. He was not ready to walk straight into 90 minutes of Premier League football. That is why Slot has been so careful. He knows what the player can do, he knows the expectations are massive, but he will not risk breaking him by rushing him.
So what will happen at Burnley? The most likely scenario is that Isak will make his debut from the bench, perhaps in the second half when the game opens up, when defenders are tired, when he can use his movement and his height to make an impact. The fans will roar the moment they see him warming up, the cameras will lock on him, the commentators will build the suspense, and when he finally steps onto the pitch, the sound will shake the ground. Even if he only plays 20 minutes, it will be symbolic, it will be history in the making, the beginning of a new chapter.
But Isak is not the only story. Alexis Mac Allister is another name that carries intrigue going into this clash. The Argentine midfielder is one of the most technically gifted players in the squad, a World Cup winner, a man who can control the tempo of a game with calm passes and clever vision. But right now, he is not at full fitness either. He has not completed 90 minutes yet this season. Even Lionel Scaloni, the Argentina national team coach, admitted recently that Mac Allister is not fully right at the moment. He has played, he has contributed, but he is not yet the unstoppable engine he can be. Liverpool need him, but they need him managed carefully. Against Burnley, he may start, or he may come on, but either way, he will not be asked to push himself beyond his limit. Like Isak, he is a player who must be handled with patience.
Then there are the defenders. Jeremie Frimpong, the £29.5 million summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, has been one of the most exciting names of the transfer window. His pace, his energy, his attacking style make him the kind of right-back who transforms a team. He scored on his debut in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, and he looked brilliant in the league opener against Bournemouth. But then came the hamstring issue that kept him out of matches against Newcastle and Arsenal. He also missed the Netherlands squad for the international break. For supporters, it was a worrying sight so early in his Liverpool career. But the good news is that Frimpong has returned to training, smiling, running, and ready to play. He should be fit for the Burnley game, and that is a massive boost for Slot’s side. His presence down the right flank will give Liverpool speed and width, something that can trouble Burnley’s defense.
Ibrahima Konate is the other defender who has been under the spotlight. He gave supporters a scare against Arsenal when he picked up a knock, but he went on to play every minute for France in their matches against Ukraine and Iceland. That was the best possible sign. It showed he had shaken off the issue, that he was reliable again, and that Liverpool can count on him at Turf Moor. His physicality, his dominance in the air, his calmness on the ball are all essential. With Burnley’s style under Scott Parker likely to involve crosses, set pieces, and physical battles, having Konate available is crucial.
And so when Slot gave his press conference before the Burnley match, the tone was clear. He confirmed Isak is close but not fully ready, he admitted Mac Allister is not at 90 minutes yet, he gave positive updates on Frimpong and Konate, and he revealed that the squad overall has returned from the international break in good shape. For him, this is an encouraging situation. For the fans, it is mixed—excitement for Isak, caution for Mac Allister, relief for Frimpong and Konate.
The numbers give Liverpool the edge. The probability charts say Liverpool have a 72% chance of winning, Burnley only 11%, and a draw 17%. The form guide shows Liverpool top of the league with nine points from three games, all wins, while Burnley sit in 14th with only 13 points, their form patchy with losses and wins mixed. On paper, it should be Liverpool’s game. But football is not played on paper, and Turf Moor has a reputation for being tricky, a ground where passion, intensity, and the roar of the home fans can lift Burnley beyond their limits.
For Liverpool, this is about more than three points. It is about momentum. It is about continuing their perfect start. It is about welcoming new players back from injury. It is about beginning the Isak era. It is about showing that Slot’s team can handle the pressure of expectation. Every game matters in the Premier League title race. Every point dropped can come back to haunt you in May. That is why this trip to Burnley, no matter what the statistics say, is vital.
The atmosphere will be heavy with anticipation. Liverpool fans will travel in their thousands, wearing red, singing songs, waiting for a glimpse of their new hero. Burnley fans will pack Turf Moor, defiant, proud, ready to make life difficult for the champions-in-waiting. Slot will stand on the touchline, calm but focused, knowing that this is one of those matches where patience, control, and discipline will be tested. The players will feel the weight of expectation, but also the thrill of opportunity.
When the team sheet is released on Sunday, the eyes will immediately look for one name—Alexander Isak. Even if it is only on the bench, his presence will dominate the headlines. Supporters will count down the minutes until he is called. The chants will rise, the cameras will zoom in, and the story will unfold. For Isak, this is the beginning of a journey he has dreamed about, the moment to wear the famous red and prove he belongs. For Liverpool, it is the start of a new era. And for Burnley, it is a chance to spoil the party, to write their own headline by stopping the giant from Merseyside.
Football is drama. Football is storytelling. And this Sunday, at Turf Moor, Liverpool’s story will take another twist. Will it be the day Isak begins his reign? Will it be the return of Frimpong in flying style? Will Mac Allister show flashes of brilliance despite not being fully fit? Will Konate stand tall against Burnley’s physical challenge? The answers will come on the grass, under the roar of the fans, in the sweat and struggle of 90 minutes. One thing is certain—the world will be watching, and the story of Liverpool in September 2025 will not be forgotten.
