Arne Slot will welcome several early returns from international duty this month after 19 of his first-team players jetted off around the world, and that includes Alexander Isak.
Liverpool return from the international break next Sunday, with a trip to newly-promoted Burnley starting a run of six games in 17 days across three competitions.
The 2pm kickoff affords valuable extra time off the back of international duty for the entire squad to train together, but nine players, in particular, will have plenty of time to prepare.
Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch, Conor Bradley, Florian Wirtz and Giorgi Mamardashvili all play the final game for their respective countries this Sunday.
They are then all free to return to Merseyside by Monday, though additional days off will be likely as several players, including Alisson and Alexis Mac Allister, will not be back until Thursday.
Andy Robertson, Giovanni Leoni and record signing Isak will swiftly follow the abovementioned six-man contingent, concluding their international obligations on Monday evening.
It is notably early by usual international standards and Slot will welcome the rarity, so long as they all escape injury in their second and final game of the break.
For Isak in particular, he can use the time to settle into his new surroundings after a deadline day move and continue to build his fitness after a summer training in isolation.
He was left on the bench for Sweden’s first game, with manager Jon Dahl Tomasson explaining the “risk is probably a bit too great” as he has had “no pre-season with the team” and “no playing time.”
The Swede is, therefore, unlikely to be ready for the trip to Burnley, but Liverpool’s coaches will welcome the ability to work with the 25-year-old ahead of the full squad’s return.
He will be expected to regroup with those not called up for international duty, including Freddie Woodman, Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones, Federico Chiesa and the injured Jeremie Frimpong and Stefan Bajcetic.
The last international game for Liverpool will be played in the early hours of Wednesday morning for those in the UK, with Alisson‘s Brazil playing at 4,090 meters above sea level in Bolivia.
For context, Anfield is 63.1 meters!
The long journey back for Alisson and Mac Allister ensures the first time the squad will train together is on Thursday, three days before the Reds’ Premier League return.