STOCKHOLM (AP) – Viktor Gökeres suffered a muscular injury while playing for Arsenal over the weekend and was ruled out of new manager Graham Potter’s first Sweden squad on Wednesday.
However, fellow striker Alexander Isak was also included, despite missing Liverpool’s last four games due to a groin problem.
potter was hired Last month he signed his first contract, which will see him manage Sweden’s final World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia over the next two weeks.
He will also coach a struggling national team in the World Cup play-offs in March, although Sweden are likely to reach qualification after winning their most recent Nations League group stage.
But the Englishman will start his term without Gokeres, having been substituted at half-time with an injury in Arsenal’s 2-0 Premier League win over Burnley on Saturday, and also missed Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League win over Slavia Prague.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said ahead of the game against Slavia that he was “concerned” about Gokeres’ injury, suggesting it was unclear how serious his condition was.
Isak, who joined Liverpool in a British record signing during the summer transfer window, has not played since being sent off at half-time in a 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on October 22.
Liverpool manager Arne Slott said on Monday it was a race against time for Isak to be fit for Sunday’s league game against Manchester City, and Potter said he would assess the striker’s suitability after the weekend.
“He’s not ready to play two 90 minutes (for Sweden),” Potter said of Isak, “but he’s available.”
Sweden are bottom of the four-team World Cup qualifying group with one point after four games after a demoralizing campaign that led to the sacking of the country’s first foreign coach, John Dahl Tomasson.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
