[Liverpool](https://walkon.com/) are quietly getting back on track, and while there is still quite a bit of ground for Arne Slot’s squad to make up on Arsenal before the defending Premier League champions can say that they are well and truly back, they just made a massive statement on Saturday night.
The Reds blew out Newcastle United 4-1 at home despite not having former Magpies star striker Alexander Isak available. Instead, it was the duo of new Bundesliga standouts, attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz and striker Hugo Ekitike, who ran the show for Slot and Co.
Wirtz has been a revelation in recent weeks, and the surprsie of no true Liverpool supporter, he has very quickly made the critics look like idiot with successive strong performances in that coveted playmaker role at Anfield.
The young German international had another goal and assist to the good, and it is funny looking back on the hate at his low goal contribution numbers. Wirtz is having no issues now, and he was very influential in the final third.
Key to Wirtz’s breakout at Liverpool has been the man ahead of him, Ekitike. The young No. 9 has made Isak’s continued slow start to life at Anfield irrelevant, and the Frenchman bagged another high profile brace this weekend.
Ekitike simply sat up shot up top and played the Isak game better than Isak, focusing on his clinical finishing, off ball movement, and touch to play like the usual all around striker that he is and more like a ruthless scorer.
That change gave Wirtz all that he needed to finally have an outlet to supply his chances for, and this partnership of Wirtz and Isak between 9 and 10 has really brought out the best of Wirtz, enabling the entire Premier League to see why Liverpool splashed so much cash on the 22 year old gem.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.