Five ways Liverpool could replace Hugo Ekitike vs Crystal Palace after 'stupid' red card

Arne Slot will have to make a change upfront from Liverpool's Premier League win over Everton as Hugo Ekitike serves a one-game ban away at Crystal Palace

Hugo Ekitike has enjoyed a blistering start to his Liverpool career after joining the Reds in a deal worth up to £79m from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer. The 23-year-old has not looked back since scoring on his debut against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield last month.

Becoming the first Liverpool player to score in each of his first three outings since Daniel Sturridge in 2013, the Frenchman’s haul now stands at an eye-catching five goals and an assist from just eight appearances.

It might be early days in the campaign but he leads the Reds’ scoring charts as a result, with usual frontrunner Mohamed Salah instead having to settle for second place, as things stand, with three goals to his name.

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Such form also saw Ekitike rewarded with an international debut for France earlier this month and is made all the more impressive considering Liverpool have since brought in Alexander Isak from Newcastle United in a British record £125m switch.

Both strikers were on the scoresheet in midweek, with Isak opening his account for the club against Southampton in the League Cup third round. He was then withdrawn at half-time for Ekitike as Liverpool continued to manage the Swede’s minutes carefully after a disjointed pre-season at Newcastle where he essentially went on strike in a bid to force an exit.

Ekitike would go on to score a late winner for the Reds, having also netted the decisive goal in last weekend’s Merseyside derby. But he was then sent off for a second bookable offence after celebrating by removing his shirt.

Head coach Arne Slot would later admonish the forward publicly, admitting his dismissal was both ‘stupid’ and ‘needless’ when speaking in his post-match press conference.

Ekitike must now serve a one-game ban and will sit out Liverpool’s upcoming trip to Palace as a result. Having started all five of the Reds’ Premier League outings so far this season, along with last month’s Community Shield against the Eagles at Wembley, it leaves Slot with a selection dilemma.

In normal circumstances, it would be an easy choice with record signing Isak leading the line. But having started against Southampton and with Liverpool managing his minutes, it might not be as simple as that. At the very least, the forward is unlikely to be ready to complete 90 minutes.

As a result, the ECHO takes a look at the different options Slot could turn to at Selhurst Park as he weighs up how to replace Ekitike…

Start Alexander Isak

The obvious choice, as already mentioned, is just start Isak. He has made four appearances for club and country so far this season, and started against both Atletico Madrid and Southampton.

Featuring for 58 minutes on his debut against the La Liga outfit, it was a slight surprise to see him then limited to just a first half showing against the Saints. Elsewhere, he made an 18-minute substitute appearance for Sweden during the international break against Kosovo, and came on for the final 23 minutes of the Merseyside derby.

Isak hasn’t started a Premier League game or completed a full 90 minutes of any sort since the final day of last season, when former club Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Everton.

Meanwhile, Slot recently admitted he does not expect the striker to be back to near his best until after the October international break.

He could hand Isak a second start in the space of five days, but it depends entirely on his fitness. If he does, do not expect the striker to complete 90 minutes, while he will probably return to the bench next week against Galatasaray too.

Start Federico Chiesa

Should Slot wish to wrap Isak up in cotton wool, he does at leave have alternatives to the Swede. And the leading option would be Federico Chiesa.

The Italian was Liverpool’s man of the match against Southampton, recording two assists as he started the game on the right before being switched to the number 10 position and then again to the left following the Reds’ substitutions.

However, his game-time has predominantly come as a substitute upfront in the Premier League this season, with the 27-year-old scoring a decisive goal against AFC Bournemouth on the opening day of the season before playing a part in Rio Ngumoha’s winner against Newcastle.

He was also introduced upfront against both Arsenal and Burnley, only to be left out of the squad against both Atletico Madrid - having not been registered in the Reds' Champions League squad - and Everton following the signing of Isak.

Chiesa’s game-time was ultimately limited last season as he struggled with fitness issues following his initial £10m arrival from Juventus. Consequently, he has made 10 Premier League appearances to date with four of them coming this season, while his only start in the English top-flight came away at Brighton last May after the title had already been won.

Slot did praise Chiesa following his impressive showing against Southampton, while the player himself reiterated his desire to play his part when speaking after the final whistle. It would perhaps be a slight gamble to start the Italian at Selhurst Park, but no more so than giving Isak the nod if not fully match fit.

Change of role for Cody Gakpo

An unlikely option Slot could turn to, having resisted throughout his reign as Liverpool head coach, is Cody Gakpo. One of the first things the Dutchman did following his arrival at Anfield was restore his compatriot to his favoured left-wing role.

Jurgen Klopp had predominantly used the forward as a central option since signing him from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023. But having shone on the flank in his native Netherlands, Gakpo’s preferred position has never been a secret.

The 26-year-old has made 135 appearances for the Reds to date, returning 42 goals and 16 assists. Admittedly, there is not much to choose between his scoring record upfront or on the left.

According to Transfermarkt, he has 17 goals from 52 appearances for Liverpool upfront and 23 from 64 outings on the left. But the bulk of that latter total came under Slot last season as Gakpo returned an eye-catching 18 goals in all competitions.

Despite Gakpo featuring regularly upfront under Klopp, Slot has never started his fellow Dutchman centrally. You suspect the Reds’ hand would have to be forced even more for the Liverpool head coach to U-turn on such a stance now.

Return of the box midfield

Slot has, on occasion, been known to select a Reds XI without any recognised centre-forward at all and instead field a box midfield with two number 10s in Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones - most memorably for last season’s 2-0 win away at Man City.

In truth, his squad is perhaps even better suited to such a system now following the £116m arrival of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.

Competition in the Liverpool midfield is fierce with Wirtz, Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister vying for two starting roles alongside Ryan Gravenberch.

Yet Slot has not really had to entertain such a quandary just yet due to injuries and suspension, having been left without Gravenberch for the first two games of the season and with Mac Allister still feeling his way back from long-term injury.

Likewise, enforced absences at right-back saw such a dilemma sidestepped again when Slot fielded Szoboszlai at right-back against Newcastle and Arsenal, while Wirtz was spared a start in last weekend’s Merseyside derby as he continues to adapt to the physicality and intensity of English football.

Against Palace, in the absence of Ekitike, the German should return to the Liverpool starting XI. And with Slot previously confirming he is an option as a false nine, though that was admittedly before signing Isak, the German could be recalled in an attacking berth alongside Szoboszlai.

But a trip to Palace, facing off against their five-man defence with Wirtz as a false nine or two number 10s, is admittedly a rather different prospect than an away trip to Pep Guardiola's Man City.

Jayden Danns full debut

The curveball option now in Jayden Danns. The 19-year-old came off the bench to make his first senior appearance of the season against Southampton in midweek as he too steps up his return after long-term injury.

The striker has made 10 appearances for Liverpool to date, returning three goals, and has featured three times in the Premier League. But it would be the boldest of calls if Slot were to hand the teenager a full league debut now.

With father Neil enjoying three and a half seasons as a player with Palace, there would be a sense of sentimentality if Danns Jnr was handed a first Premier League start at Selhurst Park.

Instead, perhaps a matchday appearance is more likely in the absence of Ekitike if Slot finds himself in need of further attacking reinforcements. Though with a number of senior stars set to return to the squad after being given the night off against Southampton, such a necessity is by no means guaranteed.

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