Liverpool: Hugo Ekitike was the last Liverpool player off the pitch at Anfield with a fist pump to The Kop as they chanted the name of their new cult hero. If the 23-year-old—signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for £70m—has any concerns about British record signing Alexander Isak threatening his central striking role, he has a funny way of showing it.
According to BBC, Ekitike has made a seamless transition from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, showing quality and composure, as well as a fierce work ethic suited to this Liverpool team. Ekitike has scored three goals in Liverpool's five straight Premier League wins, adding an assist in 370 minutes of action. He has a big chance conversion of 66.67%, measured by Opta statistics.
Ekitike's contribution deserves a deeper look because he is a tireless nuisance to opposition defences, willing to do the dirty work as well as grab the goalscoring glory. It fully explains why Liverpool were so determined to beat Newcastle United to his signature, even when they knew there was every chance they would still have to pay that British record fee to lure Isak away from Tyneside.
"Hugo Ekitike is just getting better and better," former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live. "When he gets on the ball, he is a danger and he has been so impressive in his short time at Liverpool." Ekitike's goal—Liverpool's second, neatly driven under Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford—eventually settled a derby where nerves were jangling in the closing minutes, as David Moyes' improving Toffees posed a real threat.
Liverpool's late-goal specialists did not need to strike this time, but the fear around Anfield was Everton would issue that last-gasp blow as the pressure grew. In the end, all was well: five wins from five, this last one secured despite starting with Isak and Florian Wirtz—£241m worth of summer signings—on the bench.
And, sounding a note that is ominous for those hoping to challenge Liverpool for the title, once again this was not a performance sprinkled with the sparkle of champions. Liverpool are getting the job done without being at their best, which begs the question—what will they be like when all the new parts accrued this summer fit?
Isak, once again, understandably looked rusty in his appearance as a substitute while Wirtz, who has shown real signs of finally settling to his task in recent games, still has so much more to produce on past evidence. "They can play together, of course they can. They're both exceptional players," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said about Ekitike and Isak. "But the manager sees them both as number nines—I think they will split games. One plays 60 minutes, the other 30."
Ekitike settled instantly, from the moment he scored an early goal against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley, delivering performances that have seen Anfield take him to its heart. Slot was delighted to keep Liverpool's winning run going after a tough Champions League assignment at home to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, telling BBC Sports Match Of The Day: "I'm very satisfied taking everything into account that we had to play our third game in seven games, having the early kick-off."
Slot added: "Our mentality kept us in the game because they didn't have another chance after their 2-1 goal. We have shown great mentality and showed great quality when we were fresh in the first half." Ekitike can take great praise for his contribution in building the platform for another win for relentless Liverpool.