Hugo Ekitike’s Emergence as Key Player for Liverpool

Hugo Ekitike, the Liverpool striker, has made a significant impact by scoring five goals in just four matches, indicating his growing comfort with the Premier League. However, head coach Arne Slot admits that it required considerable effort to motivate the 22-year-old to reach his current performance levels.

Ekitike’s impressive start included goals in his first three appearances following his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt. Nevertheless, the arrival of Alexander Isak for £125 million overshadowed his early success. After that, Ekitike faced a challenging period, managing only three goals in the subsequent 17 matches. The integration of Isak and the overall struggles of the team during that time affected his form.

With Isak sidelined for several months and Mohamed Salah participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, Ekitike now carries greater responsibilities. His ongoing adjustment to the physical demands of English football is yielding positive results, although Slot noted that he had to persuade Ekitike about the importance of this adaptation.

“He has demonstrated considerable dedication to achieve his current fitness level,” Slot stated. “There were times when I needed to convince him that this effort was essential for his strength, but he committed to it, albeit often without enthusiasm. He has worked diligently to enhance his fitness both on and off the pitch.

“I’ve emphasized to him that effective defending during set-pieces increases the likelihood of scoring at the other end, particularly when the score is level, which is more favorable than being down by a goal. It may seem unconventional, but managing energy levels is crucial for both scoring opportunities and ensuring we do not concede from set-pieces.

“Ekitike is prepared for the upcoming challenges, but he is not the sole option for the No. 9 position; Federico Chiesa can also fulfill that role.”

As Liverpool prepares for their home match against bottom-ranked Wolves, they enter on a six-match unbeaten streak, comprising four victories and two draws, signaling a positive turnaround after previously suffering nine losses in twelve matches.

Despite this improvement, Slot believes there has not been a significant change in performance levels across these two different runs. “The primary difference has been our ability to limit chances conceded, particularly since the second half of our match against Brighton, which we won 2-0 on December 13,” he explained.

“I also believe we’ve experienced a bit more luck in recent games compared to earlier in the season when we were often the superior team. In our most recent match against Spurs, we didn’t create many more chances than they did, and the same was true against Brighton. Those games were more balanced than others where we were unfortunate not to secure a better result.”