The way in which Alexander Isak coolly took his seventh Premier League goal of the season on Sunday has left three pundits purring, and with Jamie Carragher claiming that the Swede is the most likely of Liverpool’s three £100m-plus signings to finally start vindicating the enormous fee shelled out for his services.

The 27-year-old struggled badly for form and fitness during a turbulent first season at Anfield, having joined the Reds in a British record £125m fee from Newcastle on deadline day, managing just four goals in 22 appearances in a stop/start campaign.

But now, with a far more detailed pre-season programme under his belt and with the heavy burden of his very sizeable fee now matched by some other mammoth fees across a summer transfer blitz in the Premier League, Isak is finally starting to repay Liverpool’s investment – and his seventh Premier League goal of the campaign on Sunday during the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park means he sits second behind the indomitable Erling Haaland, who has nine.

Indeed, having earlier missed a one-on-one to add to his tally, Isak may have feared his chance had gone. Despite that, Isak kept his cool when another chance came his way, effortlessly beating Dean Henderson to dispatch his eighth of the season across all competitions in the 89th minute.

That finish certainly wowed the pundits, with Daniel Sturridge, Michael Owen and Carragher all marvelling at his composure in front of goal.

“Isak, I love the fact that he just took his time,” Sturridge said on Sky Sports. “You see guys rush, especially late on in the game because they’re so desperate.

“He missed a one-on-one earlier on; you’re probably thinking ‘, Is he going to snatch at this chance here?’ But he shows his quality as to why he’s one of the best goalscorers in the Premier League right now. He proves himself time and time again, and it’s a brilliant finish.”

Carragher also agreed with that synopsis and explained why the Swede is well ahead of fellow £100m-plus signings Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola with regard to paying off their mammoth fees…

Carragher: Isak ahead of Liverpool’s other £100m men Barcola, Wirtz

Isak now has a more impressive return of 12 goals in 36 Liverpool appearances – one in three – leaving Carragher to glaze the player’s killer instinct.

“That sort of composure, when you think about the money Liverpool have spent on their attack with the three players, Barcola, Isak and Wirtz, Isak is the one this season who is really showing why they spent that money,” Carragher crowed.

“That is real class; so many strikers would just lash at it with their left foot. Great composure.”

Meanwhile, Owen was also very much in awe of Isak’s goal, telling Premier League Productions that his presence of mind to sell such a delicate dummy to Chris Richards before coolly finishing was the really impressive part.

“I just love his disguise here, Isak,” Owen said. “He does so well, sits his man down, cuts inside, little deflection into the back of the net, but he’ll be delighted. Another goal for him and he’s starting to get his tally up now.”

Meanwhile, a fourth pundit, Steve Nicol, was quick to praise Alexis Mac Allister’s performance at Selhurst Park, after the Argentine continued his fine recent form by scoring the 40th-minute opener.

“I think it’s interesting that at the start of the season he was complaining that others had been offered contracts and he hadn’t. Quite frankly, since that day he has arguably been Liverpool’s best player,” Nicol told ESPN.

“Last two or three weeks he’s had goals, he’s had headers, he’s got in tremendous positions. The timing of his runs in the penalty box and the timing of his headers and the placement of his headers are fantastic for a guy who’s one of the smallest on the field regardless of who the opposition are.

“It’s all about timing and composure, and he would be the competition for man of the match for Liverpool for me, with Alisson.”

Meanwhile, it’s been reported in Spain that Barcelona are threatening to derail Liverpool’s plan of signing Ronald Araujo on a permanent basis.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Liverpool’s plans to sign a Netherlands starter to future-proof a vital position in the side.