Liverpool underwent a lot of change during the summer transfer window.
Arne Slot and Richard Hughes spent over £400million on improving Liverpool’s first-team squad this summer, with the club managing to add the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak to their ranks.
At the moment, things are going quite well for the Anfield outfit as they sit on top of the Premier League table with 12 points to their name.
Indeed, they may have only won all four of their opening games due to late winners, but the fact that the points are on the board is what matters.
And, even though it’s still going to take time for the squad to develop relationships with one another, things seem to be headed in the right direction with some of Slot’s new signings even being Liverpool’s best players this term.
Andy Gray can’t believe that Hugo Ekitike chose to join Liverpool this season
One of the main areas that Slot and Hughes have bolstered this summer is Liverpool’s attack.
Seeing as though the likes of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz were moved on, it meant that the Merseyside outfit needed to source some new attackers.
Players such as Wirtz and Isak have been signed, but in reality, it’s Hugo Ekitike who’s done the best so far.
The Frenchman has led Liverpool’s attacking line since the start of the season, and even though Isak is set to make his debut against Atletico Madrid, it’ll be hard for him to replace Ekitike in the Reds’ starting XI, especially with the form he’s shown over the last few weeks.
In fact, while live on beIN Sports, Andy Gray and Richard Keys shared their disbelief that Ekitike chose to join Liverpool, even though Isak was likely to join.
“If you’re being sold to a team like Liverpool and Ekitike was, okay, Newcastle were in there asking [for his transfer],” Gray said.
“Ekitike is joining Liverpool, he speaks to them he certainly would have asked them what’s your plans for me, what do you see me doing and I can’t believe he joined the team after being told ‘well we’re going to sign you but after we’ve got you we’re going to buy Alexander Isak for double what you cost so you’ll play a few games but you won’t play quite as much as you expect.’
“So I would’ve said, ‘I’m sorry, but I want to play football. I’m a young mid-twenties centre forward, international, I don’t want to come and sit on your bench for seven out of 10 games.’”
Richard Keys then replied: “I can’t believe that he and his agent, between them, hadn’t read a newspaper or were unaware of Liverpool’s interest in Alexander Isak.
“They must have known.”
Hugo Ekitike needs to continue proving his worth before Alexander Isak gets to full fitness
One of the main problems that Liverpool have faced over the last few years is that they haven’t had like-for-like replacements on their bench.
These days, seasons are far too long and gruelling for teams to have a regular starting XI that gets given the nod each week.
That’s why, even though Isak and Ekitike both deserve to start, both have been willing to join Liverpool to be rotated.
Teams are likely to play over 50 games a season now if they manage to get into the latter stages of each cup they’re competing in, which shows why at least two solid starting XI’s are needed.
At the moment, it’s anyone’s guess what could happen, but if Ekitike wants to keep his place as Slot’s main starting striker, he’ll have to continue his impressive run of form and prove that he can’t just be dropped as soon as Isak comes in.
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