Hoping to reboot their title defence, Premier League champions Liverpool will welcome bitter rivals Manchester United to Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds kicked off their campaign with seven straight victories across all competitions, though it would be fair to say that late heroics from the likes of Federico Chiesa, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah papered over the cracks of a number of lacklustre performances.
That idea was borne out in the following results, and Arne Slot's side come into this weekend's grudge match having lost three on the bounce: A 2-1 defeat on the road to Crystal Palace, a 1-0 loss at Galatasaray, and a 2-1 beating by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last time out.
With the international break between those disappointments and a game back on home turf this weekend, Liverpool will be looking to the likes of Premier League-record signing Alexander Isak and fellow big-money striker Hugo Ekitike to kick the club into gear.
Likewise, Ruben Amorim's Red Devils made a splash to revamp their frontline in the summer, and after a strong showing against Sunderland, the visitors' new central star Benjamin Sesko will be aiming to guide them to what could be a morale-boosting triumph at Anfield.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how Isak, Ekitike and Sesko have fared at their new clubs so far, comparing them ahead of Liverpool vs. Manchester United on Sunday.
Benjamin Sesko celebrates for Manchester United on October 4, 2025
How has summer signing Benjamin Sesko performed for Manchester United so far?
Appearances: 8 (476 minutes)
Goals: 2 (238 mins per goal, 0.38 goals per 90 mins)
Assists: 0
Sesko arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer for a fee that could rise to £73.7m, and the potential that he displayed in the Bundesliga saw him subject to interest from a number of clubs including Arsenal and Newcastle United.
However, it was the Red Devils that won the race for his signature, and while he has yet to set the world alight, the 22-year-old has begun to show promise after seven Premier League appearances.
Sesko made his Man United debut against the Gunners on matchday one, coming off the bench for Mason Mount just beyond the hour mark at Old Trafford, but he struggled to make an impact on the game as Amorim's men lost 1-0 to the Londoners.
It took until September 27 against Brentford for the Slovenian striker to net his first goal for the club, though it was a fruitless endeavour given that his team went on to lose 3-1 to the Bees.
That being said, Sesko did play a starring role in Man United's 2-0 triumph over Sunderland on October 4, and the summer signing will be keen to score for the third game in a row and endear himself to the fans at the same time with an important contribution against their arch-rivals on Sunday.
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike celebrates scoring on August 15, 2025
How has new Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike fared so far?
Appearances: 9 (530 minutes)
Goals: 4 (132.5 mins per goal, 0.68 goals per 90 mins)
Assists: 1
Ekitike is another star striker that made the switch from the Bundesliga to the Premier League this summer, joining Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt for a fee that could rise to £79m if all add-ons are met.
The Frenchman made his Reds debut in a pre-season friendly against Yokohama F Marinos in Japan and immediately showed his quality, before picking up an assist against Athletic Bilbao in the club's next clash.
Ekitike then continued his strong performances into the Community Shield against Crystal Palace at Wembley, where he scored the opening goal after some tidy footwork on the edge of the box following a pass from fellow arrival Florian Wirtz.
On his Premier League debut, the 23-year-old striker provided a goal and assist as Liverpool beat Bournemouth 4-2 on the division's opening night, and then went on to score in another dramatic victory against Newcastle on August 25.
It would be reasonable to say that Ekitike has made a lightning start to his career on Merseyside, with the only blemish on his early-season form being a second yellow and subsequent red card that he picked up for taking his jersey off against Southampton in the EFL Cup, something that even his manager publicly described as 'stupid'.
Unfortunately for the young striker, Liverpool started their current losing streak when they were beaten 2-1 by Palace while he was suspended for the infraction, and he will be keen to help his new club get back on track this weekend.
Alexander Isak of Liverpool running in the UEFA Champions League on September 17, 2025
How has Premier League-record transfer Alexander Isak fit in at Liverpool?
Appearances: 6 (313 minutes)
Goals: 1 (313 mins per goal, 0.29 goals per 90 mins)
Assists: 1
Isak's £125m transfer from Newcastle to Liverpool was the saga of the summer window, from reports of the centre-forward going on strike to the Magpies' public statement that he was unlikely to be sold, the drama was ever-present until a deadline-day move finally materialised.
The Swedish striker made his debut for the Reds during the club's turbulent 3-2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid, starting and lasting almost an hour before being replaced by Ekitike.
Isak went on to score his first goal for the Merseysiders in their 2-1 cup triumph against Southampton - the same game Ekitike was sent off in - and provided the assist for Cody Gakpo's goal against Chelsea, though those are his only direct contributions to date.
Some have questioned the striker's limited involvement so far, but it is important to note that due to the unusual nature of his transfer - as well as a minor injury he was dealing with in the summer - he did not go through a proper pre-season, and has been playing while not at 100% fitness or sharpness.
However, ahead of this weekend's clash, Slot mentioned in his press conference that Isak is now fully fit and raring to go in the famous red jersey, so expect to see the number nine offer significantly more at Anfield on Sunday.
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