Liverpool supporters have not had too much to get excited about this season, but the form of summer signings Hugo Ekitke and Florian Wirtz has been the big exception.
There was plenty of expectation on both players following their big-money arrivals, but things did not initially go completely to plan.
Ekitike looked the part from very early on, but Wirtz had already been written off by plenty of people before he really started to hit form in December.
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So many good displays vs Qarabag
Liverpool FC v Qarabag FK - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8
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Since then, the German has been playing some brilliant football. He and Ekitike have struck up a real partnership which has led to them hitting a combined 13 goal contributions in the past 10 Liverpool matches.
They were at it again on Wednesday, Ekitike feeding Wirtz to score against Qarabag in the Champions League before then finding the net himself. After the game, double goal-scorer Alexis Mac Allister praised the understanding being created between the two players.
Liverpool players know the quality of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike
If Liverpool are to salvage their season and win a trophy, it is clear that Ekitike and Wirtz are going to be right at the centre of it.
The pair link up so well together and the most exciting part of any Liverpool game right now is seeing them work in tandem.
Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike celebrate after Ekitike scores against Barnsley during the FA Cup tie for Liverpool at Anfield.
Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images
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Mac Allister clearly thinks so too. When asked by LFCTV to comment on their partnership, the Argentine highlighted the outstanding attacking quality.
“They love playing small passes between each other,” Mac Allister smiled. “They have immense quality, I think everyone can see that. Now we are trying to adapt to them and them a little bit more and them to us as a team.
“The quality is there, it’s just about getting to the right spaces to score goals or be dangerous. But they are really good guys, so we are happy to have them, we know their quality and we are going to demand a lot from them as well.”
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Victor Osimhen in action during Galatasaray's Turkish Super Lig match against Bodrum (Credit: Getty Images/Ahmad Mora). Joel Ordonez pictured during Club Brugge's UEFA Champions League match against Arsenal (Credit: Getty Images/Alex Bierens de Haan - UEFA). Marcos Llorente pictured during Atletico Madrid's UEFA Champions League match against Liverpool at Anfield (Credit:Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA). Kenan Yildiz pictured during Juventus' UEFA Champions League match against Sporting at the Allianz Stadium (Credit: Getty Images/Stefano Guidi).
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Wirtz and Ekitike can fire Liverpool to Champions League glory
Wednesday’s effort was Wirtz’s first in the Champions League for Liverpool and only Ekitike’s second.
However, it feels like this is the stage where we are going to see the very best of this partnership start to flourish.
Playing against teams who will generally be more open, Ekitike and Wirtz can operate in the gaps and spaces left to get Liverpool really purring.
Top quality as they are, the duo could be the difference between the Reds progressing from a narrow tie or crashing out of the competition.
The most exciting thing here is that this partnership is only just beginning to blossom. There are echoes in the pair’s game of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, and if they can build on that, Liverpool could have something special which could potentially lead them to Champions League glory.
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