Liverpool served a harsh reality to Alexander Isak as Arne Slot faces mounting pressure.
Arne Slot has been urged to reinstate Hugo Ekitike in Liverpool’s starting lineup, replacing British-record signing Alexander Isak. The Swedish striker joined from Newcastle for a staggering £125 million in early September but has scored just once in seven appearances across all competitions.
On Sunday, the 26-year-old managed only one shot on target as Liverpool suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League. This defeat marked the Reds’ fourth consecutive loss, despite a promising start to the season when Ekitike had been effective, scoring five goals in total.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster believes Slot faces tough decisions in the coming weeks, including whether to restore Ekitike to the starting XI over Isak. On his Fozcast podcast, Foster said:
“I’m surprised by Liverpool, because it’s been a little bit clunky, whereas last season everything was flowing. Earlier in the season with Ekitike up front, it looked much smoother, but now Isak barely touched the ball. He never looked like scoring. They might have to make some really difficult choices soon.”
Ekitike, who joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in July for a potential £79 million, will face his former club in the Champions League on Wednesday. The French striker, who scored 26 goals in 64 Bundesliga appearances, was left on the bench against United in favor of Isak.
Isak, however, struggled to make an impact, with his only shot going straight to goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney also believes Ekitike should start over Isak, citing Isak’s lack of pre-season preparation due to a drawn-out exit from Newcastle.
On his BBC podcast, Rooney commented:
“I wouldn’t play Isak. He hasn’t looked ready since leaving Newcastle. He missed pre-season, which is crucial. While Newcastle were training, he was probably stuck negotiating a move. It’s hard to perform without pre-season. On current form, he doesn’t deserve to play ahead of Ekitike.”
Ultimately, the decision rests with Slot as he seeks to arrest Liverpool’s slump. Despite Isak’s high-profile summer move, Ekitike’s strong performances so far make a compelling case for him to be the first choice.
