Hugo Ekitike is beginning to make a real name for himself at Liverpool after hitting four goals in two Premier League matches.
It took the Frenchman only 46 seconds to break the deadlock during Saturday’s win over Brighton, smashing home a lovely volley after teeing himself up.
Having hit seven goals in his first 10 Premier League starts for Liverpool, Ekitike sits behind only Daniel Sturridge, who managed eight in the same timeframe.
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Hugo Ekitike celebrates after scoring for Liverpool against Brighton in the Premier League at Anfield.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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As well as getting close to one of Liverpool’s most lethal strikers of recent times in the scoring stakes, Ekitike also entered himself into the history books after bagging one of the Reds’ quickest ever goals.
The 23-year-old’s effort against Brighton was the fifth fastest Liverpool have scored in the Premier League, but who are the four players who were even quicker off the mark?
4. Stan Collymore vs Wimbledon, 1996
Ekitike is one of the latest in a long line of big-money centre-forward signings at Liverpool which dates back to Stan Collymore in 1995.
Collymore became the British record transfer signing after joining from Nottingham Forest, and although he never quite hit the heights expected, the controversial striker did still have his moments.
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One of those came on November 23rd 1996, when Liverpool faced Wimbledon at Anfield.
Only 33 seconds had passed when Collymore latched onto a through-ball from Robbie Fowler and buried it from the edge of the box. Liverpool could not hold on and ultimately drew the game 1-1.
3. Maxi Rodriguez vs Fulham, 2011
The only one of Liverpool’s top five to come away from home arrived in May 2011, on a day when Maxi Rodriguez polished off a hat-trick against Fulham.
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The Argentine struck within 30 seconds of the clash at Craven Cottage, slotting home inside the area after good work from Luis Suarez.
It ended up being a memorable day for Rodriguez, with Liverpool beating Fulham 5-2.
2. Robbie Fowler vs Middlesbrough, 1996
Only three weeks after he set Collymore up for an early goal against Wimbledon, Fowler was scoring one of his own as Middlesbrough came to Anfield.
One day shy of 29 years before Ekitike’s goal against Brighton, God pounced to score what was at the time Liverpool’s fastest Premier League strike.
It came after only 27 seconds and saw the roles reversed as Collymore put it on a plate for Fowler. The Scouser would go on to score four goals in a 5-1 win for the Reds.
1. Naby Keita vs Huddersfield, 2019
If Ekitike, Collymore, Rodriguez and Fowler thought they were quick, then they were still not a patch on Naby Keita who scored comfortably Liverpool’s fastest Premier League goal in April 2019.
Arriving against Huddersfield Town as the Reds pushed hard to win the title in 18/19, Keita scored with only 15 seconds on the clock.
The Guinean did well to win the ball back just outside the Huddersfield penalty box, before being sent through by Mohamed Salah. A pinpoint finish from Keita trickled in off the post to set Liverpool up for a 5-0 victory.
He may not have lived up to his billing as Liverpool’s No. 8, but Keita can at least rest safely knowing this particular record may never be beaten.
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