Arne Slot expertly deflects question about Alexander Isak in Sky Sports interview.

Arne Slot was fully prepared for the inevitable question about Alexander Isak—and he had the perfect response ready.

Ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Newcastle, much of the pre-match narrative had focused on the Swedish striker, who’s made no secret of his desire to swap St James’ Park for Anfield. Notably, he played no part in the game.

But the drama of the match itself quickly shifted attention elsewhere. Anthony Gordon’s red card, Hugo Ekitike scoring in a third straight game, and Rio Ngumoha’s astonishing 100th-minute winner on his Premier League debut meant Isak’s absence soon faded into the background.

Slot deftly sidesteps Isak question, shines spotlight on Ekitike

Speaking to Sky Sports after the thrilling victory, Slot was inevitably asked whether he expected transfer talks between Liverpool and Newcastle regarding Isak in the final days of the window.

The Reds boss brushed off the Isak speculation, instead choosing to praise his in-form striker. “I think the focus should be on Hugo Ekitike for scoring again,” Slot replied. “It wouldn’t be right for me to talk about anything else right now.”

“He’s featured in three matches and scored in each of them. He’s made a real impact, just like the rest of our forwards. Tonight’s not the time to discuss other things, though I understand the question.”

It was a pitch-perfect response—steering clear of transfer drama and directing the attention to a player who’s earning it on the pitch.

Strangely, despite costing £69 million and netting in his first three appearances, Ekitike has flown somewhat under the radar. Yet his performances have been quietly outstanding since arriving at Anfield.

Even Slot didn’t expect tonight’s goal, missing it entirely as he was still returning to the dugout when Ekitike struck just 20 seconds into the second half.

While speculation around Isak continues to swirl, Ekitike’s early impact shouldn’t be overlooked. If Liverpool do manage to land the Swedish striker before the window closes, Slot could face a real selection headache—because at this rate, Ekitike looks undroppable.