Liverpool kick-start their Champions League campaign with a mouth-watering battle against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Ahead of the clash, Heskey spoke exclusively to Tribal Football via offshore betting apps about two players who fans are eager to see more of.
The Reds splashed out a whopping £248M on Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola combined over the past two summer windows, showing the club's ambition to build an attack worthy of chasing silverware once more.
However, despite the impressive investment, the pressure of the price tag often weighs players down, and they sink to a pit of poor performances and constant ridicule from supporters.
Isak grabbed just four goals in his first season on Merseyside, a campaign in which he was crushed by injuries, including a broken fibula which left him out for 101 days after surgery.
Speaking on the striker who already has three goals in his opening three appearances this season, Heskey believes the 26-year-old should set a minimum target for himself as he seeks to get back to his incredible form from his time at Newcastle.
What should Isak's target be this season?
Isak is in great form; do you think he’s coming out of his shell at Liverpool?
"It’s a season where he needs to show his form. Nobody is questioning Isak’s ability because we’ve seen it.
"The question is whether he can play in that system and in that team. Now he’s slowly starting to understand and show that he understands how the others around him are playing.
"You’ve seen that he can finish. That first finish - wow (against Ipswich). We know he can finish. You’ve just got to give him the opportunities to do that.
"He’ll have a target in his head for goals this season. What do you think it should be?
"I think 20 goal contributions would be the minimum he should be looking at. We’ve seen that he can get to that level, so why not?
"It’s something we need from a striker, especially when you lose 30-plus goals a season in Mo Salah. You’ve got to step up and be the one who gets those goals."
"For far too long we’ve relied on Mo and said, “Mo will get you 30 goals. Mo will get you 35 goals.” The funny thing with Mo was that he could score 22 or 23 goals and we’d say he’d had a bad season.
"Now others have got to step up because we haven’t got that anymore.
"I don’t think Gakpo is going to be the one who gets you 25 or 26 goals. Rio isn’t going to get you that. These wingers aren’t the same as Mo."
Barcola must hit the ground running
Isak will be joined by former Paris Saint-Germain and two Champions League winner Barcola, in a Liverpool attack which looks like one of the best in Europe on paper.
Barcola clocked 35.93 km/h on his Liverpool debut against Ipswich, just six minutes after coming on. That made him the fastest Premier League player of the 2026/27 season so far in a debut that lasted just 26 minutes as Liverpool picked up their first win of the season.
The winger, who arrived in a £123M package, grabbed 13 goals and six assists for the French champions last season and many believe he can take Liverpool to new heights.
Heskey backed the 24-year-old and stated that he must waste no time in making his mark under manager Andoni Iraola this season.
Do you think there will be too much pressure on Barcola because of his huge price tag?
"Look, he’s a great player. I’ve watched him and he’s outstanding. He just glides.
"Unfortunately, when you get sold for a big price, you’ve got to hit the ground running because the pressure is on. Everyone is looking at you as this star boy.
"But I do think he can be that star boy. He’s phenomenal. He’s got the ability and the attributes he needs. He’s coming from an environment that plays a similar sort of high-pressing game to what Liverpool want to play."
Do you think he was the right marquee signing to make this summer?
"I think so, yeah. We needed a winger.
"For the last 10 years, where have we been outstanding? On the wings. We had (Sadio) Mané and Salah, then Salah and (Luis) Díaz. Díaz came in and did very, very well to plug the gap when Mané left, and then you lose him and you’re looking for the next one.
"I think this one could be it."
Liverpool welcome Atletico Madrid to Anfield on Wednesday evening and this will be the first Champions League campaign without Mohamed Salah since the 2014/15 season.
Barcola and Isak must step up to fill the huge gap the Egyptian king has left and only time will tell if they can lead the side to a fruitful campaign.
