Van de Ven reveals the Newcastle moment that convinced him Isak is top class

Speaking to Gary Neville, Van de Ven explained what makes the Swedish striker so difficult to defend against (h/t The Overlap on YouTube):

“The game we played against Newcastle, the one where I slipped, this game Alexander Isak was a different level. At this point, I was like, he’s a top-class player. I knew he was top class but this game, I was like… He can run in behind, he can come onto the ball, he’s technical, he’s also really good with the ball, he’s fast, he has a top finish, at that point he was literally everywhere.”

Isak terrorised Tottenham’s defence back in April 2024

The match Van de Ven referenced saw Newcastle dismantle Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou. Isak scored twice, first capitalizing on Van de Ven’s slip to finish calmly past Guglielmo Vicario in the 31st minute. Anthony Gordon doubled the lead moments later after putting the Dutch defender on the ground again.

Isak added his second six minutes after halftime when Tottenham were caught upfield. The striker ran through unchallenged to score, with Van de Ven unable to catch him despite his own reputation as one of the Premier League’s fastest players. Fabian Schar completed the rout late on.

Isak signed for Liverpool this summer for a British record transfer fee. However, the 26-year-old has had a slow start to his Anfield career after arriving well short of fitness. He trained away from Newcastle throughout preseason while his transfer was finalized, and has scored just one Premier League goal so far.

Van de Ven will come face-to-face with his toughest opponent again this weekend. Tottenham go into the match 11th in the table after their 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, while Liverpool sit seventh following their 2-0 victory over Brighton.

Saturday’s encounter will test whether Van de Ven has learned from that chastening experience. The defender has become a key player for Thomas Frank this season despite occasional errors, forming a solid partnership with Cristian Romero at the heart of defense. Facing Isak again provides an opportunity for redemption after the nightmare of April 2024.