Alexander Isak may have taken until the end of April to score his first Premier League goal at Anfield but Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is confident the striker will make more of an impact next season.
The Sweden international scored the important first goal in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace as an injury-plagued campaign looks like ending on a high.
It was the 19th time since the start of the 2022-23 season he had opened the scoring in a Premier League match, the same as Mohamed Salah over the same period and behind only Erling Haaland and Ollie Watkins.
However, it is a quality Liverpool have been denied for long periods with the £125 million (€144.3m) signing missing 26 matches first with a groin issue and then, more seriously, a fractured fibula which sidelined him for four months.
In an underwhelming title defence in which they struggled to break down teams, in the 12 league matches when they conceded the first goal they have lost nine and won just once.
But his instinctive finish from Alexis Mac Allister's miscued shot was evidence of the threat he can pose when fit.
"It was important for Alex to get goals as a striker and it was a great goal," said Van Dijk.
"It is quite an understatement to say he’s had a tough year. He can probably explain it better but the injuries he had and the timing of it has been bad.
"As a striker you can not touch the ball or not play a good game for 85 minutes and you score the winner and it’s happy days.
"As defenders can play a good game for 85 minutes, make one slip or mistake and are seen as terrible defenders.
"Everyone knows how outstanding he is. It is about getting games, confidence but obviously scoring goals as a striker – that’s the main trigger for him. I’m not worried at all about him whatsoever."
Another bonus for the evolution of Arne Slot’s team was a goal for Florian Wirtz, himself a £116m summer arrival.
This was the first time he and Isak had started together in three consecutive league matches and when the Swede went off in the 79th minute it took the total amount of time the pair had spent together on the pitch to just 632 minutes.
The expectation at Anfield is that number will be vastly improved next season as they form part of the new era in the wake of Mohamed Salah’s summer departure.
"That was always the plan. These two particular players have been brought to the club to make an impact," said Van Dijk.
"It’s not been an easy season for anyone, including those two, but you see the quality they have.
"It is about keeping developing, knowing what it takes to be a Liverpool player not only on the pitch but off it as well."
In between Isak and Wirtz’s goal there was potentially a final one for Andy Robertson, who is also leaving, with Daniel Munoz’s controversial goal – lobbing into an empty net with third-choice Freddie Woodman injured – creating some concern late on.
"Two-nil down at half-time and we could think of saving a bit of legs for Thursday (a Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk) but it was completely different. We were close to getting the equaliser," said boss Oliver Glasner.
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