The Swedish striker did not take much time to make his mark. Right at the start of the match, Alexander Isak had a great chance, but Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy made an excellent save from close range from the striker worth 130 million Euros.
However, 40 minutes later, McCarthy "burned his own net" when Isak celebrated his first career goal for Liverpool. This is the moment many Merseyside fans expect to see at Anfield.
In the second half, off the bench, Isak witnessed Hugo Ekitike - a rookie who had just joined the team in the summer transfer window - score the decisive goal. In the end, Liverpool won a ticket to the 4th round of the tournament where they are eager to win their 11th championship.
After weeks of discussing how Arne Slot will keep his two expensive strikers happy, both Isak and Ekitike are doing their best to ensure that the Liverpool coach can have a smile on his lips. Of course, the Dutch captain still lamented Ekitike's decision to leave the pitch after receiving two yellow cards in the second half.
With players like Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz given a rare chance to watch the match from the comfort of their home sofas, it is no exaggeration to say that Arne Slot is currently having an impressive attack.
However, he once again had to wait to see his team win. Ekitike's 86th goal marked the sixth time in seven games this season that The Kop have scored the winning goal in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Liverpool's performance disruption against Southampton was partly due to Arne Slot making 11 changes compared to the team that defeated Everton 2-1 in the Merseyside derby.
In addition to Isak being able to start, Arne Slot also gave goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defender Giovanni Leoni the opportunity. Especially Leoni, who impressed before coming off with a knee injury late in the second half.
However, despite a significant difference in strength, Southampton still played excellently and almost took the lead. Leo scienza's header went wide of the post after Adam Armstrong's first shot.
However, just 39 seconds later, Will Still's team was behind. When Isak scored and slid at Anfield to celebrate, it seemed like a burden had been lifted.
After becoming the focus of the most controversial transfer deal of the summer of 2025, Isak is now playing with a big target. After joining the Premier League champions with a record contract in England, this striker is expected to shine brilliantly on more prestigious stages. And with the goal against Southampton, he has officially affirmed his mark at Anfield.
"It's great. He only debuted 6 or 7 days ago, so time passed very quickly. We also don't have him in the best physical condition. You can't keep him playing the full 90 minutes, and if you only let him play for 45 minutes, it could take Isak a while to score first.
The best time to clearly assess him is when he returns from the Swedish national team. At that time, we could have expected more, but until now, we are still very satisfied" - Arne Slot said about Isak.
However, it was Ekitike who ensured Liverpool's victory. He scored from a pass from Chiesa after Shea Charles equalized for Southampton in the second half. This was the Frenchman's fifth goal in eight games since joining The Kop in a £69 million deal.
If Ekitike's cool finish has proven his talent, then taking off his sudden celebratory shirt - after receiving a yellow card for overreactions - shows that he still has a lot to learn.
Ekitike will be absent from the Premier League match against Crystal Palace. However, with Isak regaining his form, this could be the perfect opportunity for the new No. 9 of The Kop to truly shine.
