Mohamed Salah had an up-and-down display against Galatasaray, but one that has been commended by teammate Hugo Ekitike.
When you come away from a Champions League knockout tie as 4-0 victors, it leaves little room for criticism.
The first half saw Salah miss a penalty and fluff his lines in a couple of key moments, but he was much better in the second period.
Who was your Man of the Match in Liverpool’s rout of Galatasaray? 💪
After the game, Ekitike discussed his veteran teammate’s form, thanked him for a delightful assist, and looked ahead at the quarter-final against his old club, PSG.
Hugo Ekitike defends Mo Salah amid Liverpool scrutiny
The spotlight has shone especially bright on Salah this season after a historic campaign last term.
He has not lived up to his own high standards and it has led to plenty of criticism and speculation about his future.
Ekitike, though, wanted only to highlight the top performance his teammate put in at Anfield.
He said to TNT Sports: ““He’s a legend, you know. Obviously sometimes people say he’s had a difficult season…but tonight he had many chances, and still had the mindset to give me a great ball.
“Really happy for him. He deserved it. And yeah, we need to do that every game now.”
Salah’s role for Liverpool has shifted centrally, which is why he was so involved in the chances they created. Ekitike thinks Liverpool could have won that game 10-0, but he, Salah and others were too wasteful.
Ekitike looks forward to PSG clash
The French number nine must now psych himself up for a return to Paris. Liverpool’s pathway to the Champions League final now goes through PSG.
Emphatic from the Reds 🙌
Has this performance changed your opinion on Liverpool's Champions League hopes? 🤔
It was Ekitike’s first big move, and one that did not work out as he or they would have hoped.
He’s a different player now — one of the most exciting strikers in Europe — and he will look at this as a golden opportunity to change the narrative around him in his home country.
As he put it: “I can’t wait to be there.”
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