Ekitike Shines as Liverpool Triumphs Over Newcastle

Hugo Ekitike was instrumental in Liverpool’s victory against Newcastle, scoring both of the team’s initial goals. After Anthony Gordon had given Newcastle an early lead, Ekitike equalized with a well-placed shot following a low cross from Florian Wirtz, who skillfully maneuvered past several defenders. Shortly thereafter, Ekitike led a swift counter-attack directly from an Alisson Becker goal kick, catching the Newcastle defense off guard and netting his second goal of the evening.

The second half saw further contributions from Wirtz and the returning Ibrahima Konate, solidifying a significant win for Liverpool. This victory came on the heels of a narrow loss against Bournemouth the previous week, showcasing the team’s resilience as they now sit third in their Champions League group, following a commanding 6-0 victory over Qarabag.

During his analysis for TNT Sports, Steven Gerrard drew comparisons between Ekitike and former Liverpool star Fernando Torres, who scored 81 goals during his tenure at Anfield from 2007 to 2011. Gerrard praised Ekitike’s style, stating, “It’s Torres-like. He just gets it out of his feet and it’s that toe poke. Every time I watch him, he reminds me of Torres. If you give him space in the channel, he’s too quick, and he’s deadly. There are many similarities—pace, power, and the ability to score and assist.”

In response to Gerrard’s remarks, Ekitike acknowledged that, while he did not watch Torres play due to financial constraints during his childhood, he has come to appreciate Torres’s legacy through online clips. He humbly stated, “I will never put myself in that bracket. He was an incredible player. If I reach his level, that would be great. I have to keep working.”

Now with 15 goals across all competitions for Liverpool since his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer, Ekitike was also asked about his scoring ambitions for the season. He expressed a desire to contribute significantly to the team’s success without fixating on a specific target, saying, “I want to score a lot of goals; I’d love to be the top scorer of the club, but I don’t think of a certain number. I just want to help the team win. I enjoy assisting as well, like Flo. We came here with confidence, but tonight was also about team spirit. Everyone was running everywhere.”

With this victory, Liverpool climbed to fifth place in the Premier League, just one point behind Chelsea and one ahead of Manchester United, who are set to face Fulham on Sunday. The Reds will next face a highly anticipated match against Manchester City at Anfield next weekend.