Liverpool fans are waiting, counting the days, the hours, the minutes, for the Premier League to return after the international break, and when it does, all eyes will be on Arne Slot’s men. The Reds have started the season like a storm, winning three out of three, brushing aside Bournemouth, Newcastle and Arsenal, sending a clear warning to the rest of the league that the champions are not going to give up their crown without a fight. But as football always reminds us, things are never smooth, never simple, never predictable. When Liverpool travel to Turf Moor to face Burnley on September 14, there will be excitement, there will be fear, and there will be questions, many of them surrounding who will be fit, who will be missing, and whether the £125 million man, Alexander Isak, will finally make his long-awaited debut in red.
Liverpool’s squad is stacked with quality, but football in England is a brutal game, and the international break has once again brought tension. Slot is preparing his team without guarantees, because injuries, fatigue and international commitments are always a manager’s nightmare. Even before the break, he had to deal with setbacks. Jeremie Frimpong, the flying right-back who joined to give Liverpool extra pace and creativity down the flank, has been absent with a muscle injury since the opening day against Bournemouth. He missed the Newcastle and Arsenal games, and though there is hope he could return against Burnley, nothing is certain. Slot knows that rushing him back too soon could cause more damage, yet leaving him out again would mean another tactical reshuffle in a game that will be played in one of the toughest atmospheres in the league. Turf Moor is not glamorous, it is not a stadium of shining lights, but it is a place where many big clubs have fallen before.
Then there is the biggest story of them all, the one fans cannot stop talking about: Alexander Isak. Liverpool stunned the world by signing the Swedish striker from Newcastle on deadline day, breaking records and flexing their financial power with a £125 million deal. Isak is not just a striker, he is a statement. Tall, elegant, deadly in front of goal, a man who can run at defenders, hold the ball, and finish with ice in his veins. He was supposed to be the missing piece, the new hero to lead the line, the man to share the load with Mohamed Salah and give Liverpool the cutting edge they need. Yet here we are, weeks later, and Isak has not even kicked a ball for Liverpool.
In Sweden’s World Cup qualifier against Slovenia, he sat on the bench, unused, watching from the sidelines. For Liverpool fans, that was both relief and frustration. Relief, because at least he did not pick up an injury, but frustration, because it left more questions. Is he fully fit? Is he ready? Will Arne Slot unleash him at Turf Moor, or will they have to wait longer? Every fan imagines that moment when Isak pulls on the Liverpool shirt for the first time, steps onto the pitch, and shows why the club spent so much money. But Turf Moor is not the easiest place for a debut. The pitch is tight, the crowd is hostile, Burnley fight for every ball, and defenders will not give him a moment to settle. It could be a baptism of fire, or it could be the perfect stage for a new king to announce himself.
Slot’s worries do not end there. After the 3-1 victory over Arsenal, there were fears about two key men: Florian Wirtz and Ibrahima Konate. Wirtz, the German wonderkid who joined in the summer and has already shown flashes of brilliance, looked to be struggling with a knock. Konate, the powerful French defender, also seemed to be carrying an issue. In Liverpool’s world, the thought of losing Konate after already seeing Trent Alexander-Arnold leave for Madrid would be unthinkable. For a moment, fans feared the worst. But the break brought some good news. Both Wirtz and Konate featured for their countries in recent days, which eased the tension. It does not guarantee they will be 100% by the time Burnley comes around, but at least the nightmare scenario has been avoided for now.
Liverpool are not the only ones with concerns. Burnley, managed by Scott Parker, have their own problems. When they lost 3-2 to Manchester United before the international break, they were missing six players. Axel Tuanzebe, Armando Broja, Bashir Humphreys, Connor Roberts, Jordan Bayer and Zeki Amdouni were all out. Six absentees for a club like Burnley is massive, it shakes the whole structure of the team. Whether any of them will return for the Liverpool clash is still unknown, but Parker will be desperate to have at least some of them back. Without reinforcements, facing a Liverpool side that has started the season on fire could be a brutal test.
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For Slot, the trip to Burnley is more than just another game. It is about momentum. Liverpool have a 100% record so far, and keeping that run alive after the break would send a strong message. Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, they are all watching, hoping Liverpool slip, hoping the champions show weakness. But a victory at Turf Moor would prove that Slot’s men are not distracted, not shaken, and not slowing down. With Manchester City breathing down their necks and Arsenal hungry for revenge, Liverpool cannot afford to drop points, especially not against a side that is expected to fight relegation. Every point matters in this league, every stumble can cost the title, and Slot knows it better than anyone.
The spotlight, however, will never move far from Isak. The pressure on him is enormous. When you cost £125 million, the world expects instant results. Fans want goals, pundits want headlines, rivals want him to fail. The Swedish striker will have to carry the weight of expectation the moment he steps onto the field. If he scores on debut, he will be hailed as a superstar. If he struggles, the critics will sharpen their knives. That is the brutal reality of English football. But Isak is no ordinary player. His time in Newcastle showed that he thrives under pressure, that he can score in big games, that he can handle the toughest defenders. Liverpool are betting that he can do it again, this time in red, this time with even more responsibility.
Frimpong’s possible return could also be a game-changer. The right-back’s pace and energy give Liverpool a new dimension. He can stretch defenses, link up with Salah, and cover the flank in a way few players can. Slot has missed that weapon in the last two games, but getting him back against Burnley could help Liverpool pin their opponents back and dominate from the start. Yet it all depends on his recovery, and that is why the next few days at Kirkby will be crucial. Every training session will be watched closely, every report will matter, because Liverpool cannot afford another long-term injury in such a demanding season.
Burnley, despite their struggles, are not a team to be underestimated. Turf Moor has a reputation, and Parker will use every tool he has to frustrate Liverpool. The game could be scrappy, the tackles could be heavy, and the atmosphere will be electric. For Liverpool, it will be about patience, about control, about finding the breakthrough without losing their composure. Slot will remind his players that champions win not just the big glamour matches, but also the ugly battles in difficult grounds. This is how titles are defended, this is how legacies are built.
For fans, the build-up to this game is filled with excitement, nerves, and endless debates. Should Isak start or should he be eased in? Can Wirtz keep his fitness? Will Konate dominate at the back? Will Frimpong return? Will Salah continue his unstoppable form? And above all, will Liverpool’s perfect start continue? These are the questions that will dominate conversations in pubs, living rooms, and social media until the first whistle blows.
Arne Slot knows the stakes. He knows Liverpool are not just defending a title, they are defending pride, defending history, defending an identity built under Jurgen Klopp. He knows rivals want to see him fail, to prove that he cannot carry the torch. That is why games like Burnley matter. They may not look glamorous on paper, but they are tests of character, tests of strength, tests of unity. And with the shadow of injuries, the pressure on Isak, and the desire to stay perfect, this test could be one of the most important of the season so far.
Liverpool against Burnley. The champions against the underdogs. The £125 million man waiting for his debut. The injured stars fighting to return. The title race already shaping up. It is not just another game, it is another chapter in Liverpool’s story, a story that could define whether they remain at the top or stumble under the weight of expectation.
