Ekitike’s France Bow Sends Slot a Clear Message
International breaks can either soothe or sharpen the nerves. For Liverpool, on a run of three straight defeats across competitions, the chatter from the fanbase has only grown louder — and it’s all about Hugo Ekitike. The £79m summer signing just started up top for France alongside Kylian Mbappé in a 3–0 win over Azerbaijan, and Reds supporters reckon Arne Slot’s been given the nudge he needed.
The £79m spark who hasn’t had a full 90
Ekitike’s Anfield career exploded into life with a debut goal in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, yet he’s still waiting for his first full 90 under Slot. He arrived with admirers all over the league — Newcastle among them — and he’s already etched a quirky milestone: the first Liverpool player to score in each of his first three home outings at Anfield. Not bad for a lad raised in Reims who sharpened his edge in Frankfurt.
Deschamps’ blueprint: two up top
France’s win in Paris offered a timely case study. Ekitike led the line from the start, knitted play with Mbappé, and looked utterly at home under Didier Deschamps. It’s prompted the same refrain from Liverpool fans: if France can pair their centre-forward with an elite partner, why can’t the Reds try Ekitike with Alexander Isak?
The Isak factor — class, cost, and conundrums
Liverpool didn’t just bring in Ekitike. Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and, crucially, Isak walked through the door in the summer. Isak’s fee and pedigree make him a nailed-on reference point at the tip of Slot’s front three when fit — and he’s edging back after that intra-league move from Newcastle. Ekitike isn’t shying away from the challenge, publicly embracing the battle and even calling Isak’s arrival a pleasure. Both have shown they can drift left, but the strongest case is for a tandem through the middle.
Numbers that demand a rethink
Even in limited minutes, Ekitike’s output pops. He’s logged 386 league minutes (11th-most in the squad) and still leads Liverpool in goals with three. He’s second for expected goals at 1.88, joint-third for shots per game (1.7), outright best for dribbles per game (1.7), with a 0.7 key-pass clip and a tidy 7.11 overall rating. That’s the profile of a forward who’s asking — politely but persistently — for more responsibility. All statistics per WhoScored, correct as of 10/10/2025.
How Slot can make it work
The playbook isn’t complicated. Slot could roll out a 4-4-2 box or an in-possession 3-2-5 that becomes a 3-5-2 in the build: Kerkez gives the underlap and depth on the left, Frimpong supplies vertical width on the right, and Wirtz connects the lines as the chief fixer between midfield and attack. Ekitike’s a wall-pass merchant with slippery feet; Isak’s a glide-and-finish assassin. Together, they stretch centre-backs and punish second balls. Off the ball, Liverpool can press in a narrow two with curving runs outside-to-in, funneling play into the trap where the eights bite. It’s not a gamble; it’s common sense.
For those tracking narratives and markets alike, you’ll find plenty of angles on the best betting sites. The main takeaway, though, is simple: Slot has to trial an Isak–Ekitike front two while the Swede builds full match sharpness. Parking one of them on the bench feels like tying an ankle weight to Liverpool’s attack.
Fans have spoken — now it’s on Slot
The message doing the rounds after Paris is pointed. If Deschamps, the arch-pragmatist, can green-light a two-man strike force, Liverpool can certainly test-drive it. Supporters are convinced the pairing will click once Isak hits 100% — and the early Ekitike–Mbappé chemistry only fuels that belief.
United at Anfield: the perfect proving ground
Next up, it’s Manchester United under Ruben Amorim at Anfield — the sort of fixture that defines a season’s mood. A brave manager picks form and function over fear. Give Ekitike and Isak the stage, feed them with Wirtz, and unleash Frimpong’s thrust from the right. If it clicks, Liverpool’s three-game wobble will feel like a blip rather than a blueprint.
International momentum, domestic necessity — the dots are begging to be joined. Over to you, Arne.
