Arne Slot plays down Hugo Ekitike theory after Alexander Isak Liverpool debut

Alexander Isak started ahead of Hugo Ekitike for Liverpool's win over Atletico Madrid but the Frenchman is expected to return to the starting XI against Everton

Arne Slot has again hinted at how he intends to use both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike this season after bolstering Liverpool’s attacking options this summer. The Reds broke the British transfer record to sign the Swede in a £125m deal from Newcastle United on transfer deadline day following a lengthy summer saga.

Liverpool had already signed Ekitike earlier in the summer, landing the Frenchman ahead of the likes of Newcastle in a deal worth up to £79m from Eintracht Frankfurt. The 23-year-old has enjoyed a positive start to his Reds career, returning three goals and an assist from his first six outings.

Meanwhile, he became the first player to score in each of his first three games for the club since Daniel Sturridge in 2023.

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Ekitike is still adjusting to Premier League football though and is yet to complete 90 minutes since joining the club, while he dropped to the bench for the first time for the midweek victory over Atletico Madrid as Slot handed Isak his Liverpool debut.

After beating Atletico, Slot confirmed that Isak would definitely not feature for 90 minutes against the Blues, with the Reds still managing Isak carefully after a disjointed pre-season which saw him essentially go on strike at Newcastle.

Meanwhile, after his side’s win over Burnley last weekend, he admitted the striker would not be able to feature for more than 45 minutes against both the La Liga outfit and Everton.

“He will be able to play 45 on Wednesday as a minimum or a little bit more,” he said. “But if he plays 45 on Wednesday, don’t expect him to play 45 or more on Saturday as his body is not prepared for that.”

Consequently, Ekitike is expected to return to lead the line against Everton in Saturday’s Merseyside derby.

Slot will face the most difficult of selection dilemmas when both strikers are fully up to speed.

And while there have been suggestions he could play either forward or outwide to fit them both into his side, the Dutchman has admitted he primarily sees them both as number nines.

“Everything is always possible, so they can (play as wingers), but I think for Alex number nine is by far his best position,” he told TNT Sports.

“Hugo has played in the past, when he was younger, as a winger as well, but then he started to grow more and more and more – although Cody Gakpo shows that even if you are really tall you can still be a very good, intelligent winger.

“So Hugo could be a player who could play off the left side, not in the way Cody or Mo is playing, but he could become a second striker.

“But in general I think both of them are more number nines than any other position."

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