Arne Slot has claimed that Federico Chiesa and Cody Gakpo are options to play up front for Liverpool in the absence of Hugo Ekitike.
Ekitike will miss the rest of the season and a big chunk of next year after rupturing his Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.
And with Alexander Isak still yet to regain full fitness ahead of Sunday’s clash with Everton, Slot has put forward two options he could pick instead of the Swede.
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Gakpo and Chiesa options to play instead of Isak – Slot
Liverpool have been desperately unlucky with their forward options this season.
Plenty outside the club questioned the wisdom of signing both Isak and Ekitike last summer, but Tuesday’s game was only the second time they have started together all season.
That Ekitike is now predicted to be out for nine months on the back of that is remarkable, but according to Slot, Liverpool will be able to count on both Gakpo and Chiesa as Isak continues to build towards playing 90 minutes.
“There are a lot of players who can fill in that position, but those players have played in different positions throughout their lives more and more,” he said during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
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“But Cody did really well when he came on in the second-half [against PSG]. Of course it’s important [to have Isak fit], but it would have been even nicer if Hugo was still fit.
“He’s [Isak] not ready for 90 minutes yet. He’s getting closer and closer and now we need him, but there are different options to play as a nine as well, Federico Chiesa is also one of them as well. There are different options.”
Will Isak start against Everton?
Liverpool clearly had a plan for Isak’s match loading upon his return to fitness, and Ekitike’s injury is unlikely to get in the way of that.
Instead, Slot will lean on Chiesa and – more substantially – Gakpo to fill the void while the No. 9 gets back to his best.
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In terms of Everton, there is a chance Isak does start having had the second-half off on Tuesday.
The idea could be to give the 26-year-old another beginning of a match and take him off either at half-time or after 60 minutes or so.
Alternatively, it would not be a surprise to see Isak play less than 45 minutes as the Liverpool physios aim to ease him back and avoid any further problems.
Clearly, Liverpool would much rather have Ekitike available, but with Isak still not ready to play every minute, an opportunity now arises for either Gakpo or Chiesa.
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