The Liverpool Lineup Arne Slot Should Choose Against Nottingham Forest After Hugo Ekitike’s Impressive Showing for France
Liverpool’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City before the international break was impossible to dress up—it was their fourth straight league defeat away from home, their worst run on the road since Kenny Dalglish’s troubled 2012 return. Yet football changes quickly, and two strong home victories beforehand hinted that the Reds were finally rediscovering their rhythm after last season’s title win.
Their 2-0 triumph over Aston Villa was controlled and disciplined, while the narrow 1-0 win against Real Madrid was arguably their standout display of the new campaign. Much of their early frustration stemmed from new arrivals struggling to settle, but Arne Slot’s choice to rely again on the midfield core that powered last season—while restoring faith in experienced figures such as Andrew Robertson—paid off, showing there was no urgent need for a major tactical overhaul this summer.
With a brief pause from the relentless grind of juggling league fixtures and Champions League duties, Slot now faces a key decision about how he shapes his team for the upcoming run, starting with Nottingham Forest at home. The squad is well-stocked with options, but after Hugo Ekitike’s impressive outing in France’s 4-0 win over Ukraine, there appears to be one selection change that stands out as unavoidable.
Ekitike Gets His First Goal for France
France will head into next summer’s World Cup as one of the leading contenders, largely because of their stacked attacking lineup. Alongside stars like Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe, Liverpool’s £79 million signing made an eye-catching impact during Thursday’s match.
Coming on for Bradley Barcola in the 67th minute, Ekitike squeezed every moment from his short appearance. He took four shots—one crashing off the post and another giving him his first international goal—while repeatedly threatening by drifting in from the left, driving inside, and accelerating into dangerous areas.
In just 22 touches, the 23-year-old won four of five ground duels, completed both dribbles he attempted, and drew two fouls. Having previously stated that he and Alexander Isak can “definitely” start together for Liverpool, his midweek display may have proven his point.
How Slot Can Use Both Ekitike and Isak
Slot would be wise to stick with the core players who delivered him last season’s title, slowly blending in his major summer signings rather than tinkering too heavily. That means keeping the same back four—Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Andrew Robertson—and maintaining the trusted midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexis Mac Allister.
Ekitike has earned a starting role as the standout performer from Liverpool’s £449 million recruitment spree. But the return of Alexander Isak complicates matters. At full flow, Isak is a Premier League striker capable of 20+ goals a season, and his record-breaking fee makes leaving him out difficult to justify.
The logical solution is to deploy Isak centrally with Ekitike operating from the left, nudging Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz out of the starting picture for now. Gakpo can still influence games from the bench, while Wirtz may be better suited to European fixtures at this stage—though he could eventually challenge for a midfield role if he acclimatises to Premier League intensity. Below this sits a lineup very close to last season’s title-winning side.
Mohamed Salah remains the obvious choice on the right, given his unmatched ability to turn half-chances into goals. Overall, this setup requires only minimal adjustments from the side that lifted the Premier League trophy just six months ago. And with emerging talents like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong waiting for opportunities, Slot doesn’t need to rush anyone into the starting XI while the core group continues to deliver.
Gradual evolution—rather than sweeping change—was a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s success, and Slot could benefit from taking a similar path.
Last year, the former Feyenoord boss proved he can adapt as well as anyone, which is why Liverpool’s hierarchy remains calm for now—even if closing the eight-point gap to league leaders Arsenal represents his toughest task yet.
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