There is no way of sugarcoating Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City prior to the international break. It marked their fourth successive league loss on the road - their worst run of that kind since Kenny Dalglish’s ill-fated second spell in charge back in 2012. But football is a fickle game, and the two home victories before that showed the Reds were starting to look more like themselves after last season delivered their second Premier League title in five years.
A 2-0 win over Aston Villa was impressively well managed, while a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid was by far their best performance of the new season. While much of the earlier misery could be pinned on damp-squib new signings, Arne Slot’s decision to turn back to the same engine room that was so crucial last season - along with placing trust in other old-guard assets like Andrew Robertson - proved to pay dividends, showing that there wasn't a desperate need to reinvent the wheel in the summer.
With a couple of weeks away from the constant stress of juggling league commitments with Champions League football, the Dutchman now has a big decision to make regarding how he sets up his team in the upcoming fixtures, starting with a home match against Nottingham Forest. Plenty of star names are available for selection, but after Hugo Ekitike’s latest performance in France’s 4-0 win over Ukraine, there seems to be one change in particular that Slot simply has to make.
Hugo Ekitike Scores First International Goal For France
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France will once again be among the favourites for the World Cup next summer, thanks in large part to the attacking firepower Didier Deschamps has at his disposal. Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Real Madrid talisman Kylian Mbappe are obvious highlights, but Liverpool’s £79 million summer signing also earned plenty of plaudits on Thursday night.
Replacing Bradley Barcola in the 67th minute, Ekitike made sure to use all 23 minutes to leave a lasting impression. In that short spell, he took four shots - one rattling the woodwork and another resulting in his first international goal - constantly causing danger with his ability to pick up the ball from the left byline, cut inside, and burst forward at breakneck speed to force the issue. Watch his highlights below:
Across his 22-touch cameo from the bench, the 23-year-old was also fouled twice, completed both of his dribble attempts, and impressively won four of his five ground duels. Having insisted not that long ago that he and Alexander Isak can 'definitely' play together in the same starting lineup for Liverpool, it might be his midweek performance for France that has proven so.
How Liverpool Can Line Up With Both Ekitike and Isak
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Slot should stick with the tried-and-tested players who delivered him a league title in his maiden season, while gradually weaving in new big-money signings rather than trying to overcomplicate things and fix something that isn’t broken. That means the backline from the last three games - Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Andrew Robertson - remains intact, with the title-winning midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexis Mac Allister keeping their seats at the table.
Ekitike has earned his spot too, standing out as the only player from Liverpool’s £449 million spending spree who has justified his price tag. But Alexander Isak’s impending return adds a layer of complexity up front. At his best, the former Newcastle striker is a 20+ goal per season Premier League forward with the credentials to prove it, and his record British transfer fee makes benching him a bitter pill to swallow.
The sweet spot might be Isak leading the line with Ekitike shifted to left-wing, edging out Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz. Gakpo could make an impact off the bench, while Wirtz is more tailored to European competitions for now - though he could eventually move into the midfield engine room ahead of Mac Allister if he adapts to the Premier League’s physical demands in the future. See Arne Slot's potential lineup after the international break below:
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Mohamed Salah would take the right flank, with his ability to create and score goals from thin air being crucial. In all, this approach would require just two tweaks from the squad that lifted the league title little more than six months ago. With promising talent like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong waiting in the wings, there’s no need to rush the integration of new signings while the current starters are still getting the job done.
Gradual integration and bit-by-bit evolution in tactics were hallmarks of Jurgen Klopp’s successful tenure at the club, and the same approach could be key to Slot’s revival.
Last season, the former Feyenoord head coach proved himself as one of the most adaptable tacticians around, which is why the Reds’ hierarchy aren’t stressing just yet - even if managing a star-studded lineup that has slipped to an eight-point deficit behind league leaders Arsenal presents Slot with his toughest test yet.