Hugo Ekitike almost joined Newcastle in the summer and has now scored three goals in two games against them
Neither Yoane Wissa (9) or Nick Woltemade (27) started for Newcastle United vs Liverpool
Neither Yoane Wissa (9) or Nick Woltemade (27) started for Newcastle United vs Liverpool(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
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It is no secret Newcastle United came very close to signing Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer transfer window before he opted to join Liverpool instead.
In fact, it was the second time Eddie Howe had tried to bring him to Newcastle having tried to sign him in the summer of 2022, too, before he decided to join PSG from French side Reims.
As a result, Howe knew exactly what to expect from the Liverpool forward when Newcastle came up against him on Saturday evening and his players would have been well versed in the threat he possesses.
"[He is] A very, very good player. I think it is well known I have liked him for a number of years. I tried to sign him twice," Howe told Chronicle Live on Friday. "He has got a bit of everything. He has great movement, can score with both feet, he's good in the air and dribbles with the ball really well.
"He is someone we are going to have to do really, really well against and I thought we did relatively well against him in the first game but, of course, he scored. He is a big talent."
So when Newcastle were dominating proceedings and were deservedly 1-0 ahead against Liverpool at Anfield, it was perhaps frustrating, but not surprising, that it was Ekitike who turned the game on its head to inspire his side to a 4-1 win.
He poked the ball beyond Nick Pope from a Florian Wirtz cutback to level the scoreline before he brilliantly raced away from Malick Thiaw, who should have engaged with him earlier, before sweeping the ball past Pope with the outside of his right foot from the left-hand side of the penalty area to give his side the lead.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who was working on the game as a pundit for TNT Sports, compared the goal to watching ex-Reds forward Fernando Torres in his prime. It was a fine comparison. Torres routinely tore opposition defences to shreds at Anfield and Ekitike inflicted similar damage to Newcastle in double quick time.
He now has three goals in two games against the Magpies and was quick to return the taunts of the away end by gesturing he scored two goals as he was replaced by Federico Chiesa towards the end of the game. As he then conducted the Anfield crowd with a roar, it rubbed salt in the wounds of Howe, who had watched the forward he wanted to sign as Alexander Isak's heir be the game changer his side have lacked too many times this season.
Howe was left frustrated in the summer as Newcastle were not only snubbed by Ekitike but also by Joao Pedro, who joined Chelsea, and Bryan Mbuemo and Benjamin Sesko, who joined Manchester United.
In the end, Newcastle signed Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa in the dying embers of the transfer window. Woltemade made a positive start, scoring nine goals, but he is yet to find the back of the net in 2026. Wissa only has three goals to his name after missing his first three months at the club through injury.
Such has been the teething problems in getting used to playing with their two new forwards, it was striking to see both of them named on the bench as Howe opted use Anthony Gordon, a winger, through the middle of his front three at Anfield.
What was more interesting was how much more of a threat away from home that front three of Gordon, flanked by Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes, looked than previous away showings in the Premier League.
Gordon scored Newcastle's goal on the evening, brilliantly arrowing the ball between Milos Kerkez's legs and into Alisson's bottom right-hand corner.
Anthony Gordon celebrates with Joe Willock and Harvey Barnes. Pic: Iain Buist
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His pace in behind Liverpool's backline was effective and Newcastle looked a more potent attacking threat being able to stretch the hosts with a striker willing to make those runs.
It has left Newcastle with a major dilemma. If they cannot call upon Sven Botman in Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City, they almost certainly won't name a back five that worked so successfully against PSG.
And if that is the case then Howe will be hard pushed to justify not naming the same front three as they look to overturn the 2-0 deficit after their first leg defeat at St James' Park last month.
The fact that neither centre-forward could be in the strongest line-up Newcastle can name for their biggest game of the season so far presents Howe with an issue to solve between now and the end of the season. Newcastle spent £124million on their two centre-forwards and not only are neither scoring goals regularly but there could be a situation where neither player can get in the side.
If United harbour ambitions of qualifying for European football next season and being competitive in the deep end of the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the Champions League, that is a major problem.