And to assume some anxious could be overshadowed by at Anfield. On the night time opened his account for his new membership, Ekitike contrived to upstage his putting rival, extending ’s extraordinaryand but drawing chopping criticism from his supervisor.
For the sixth time in seven video games, Liverpool received late on; for the fourth time . And but this drama on the loss of life in opposition to took on a novel twist as Ekitike tapped in a centre from the superb and promptly introduced his personal contribution to an finish. Already booked for punching the ball away in a show of dissent, he collected a second yellow card for taking his shirt off in celebration.
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The Frenchman in his transient Liverpool profession however this, as was swift to say, was sheer stupidity.
“Unnecessary, not good, I known as it silly right away as properly,” he stated. “The primary one was already useless and to a sure extent silly as a result of it’s a must to management your feelings.”
Hugo Ekitike scored the winner for Liverpool and took his shirt off in celebration (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
At which level he was promptly despatched off for a second bookable offence (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
He was irritated, too, by the egotistical nature of Ekitike’s response, downplaying the position of the excellent Chiesa. “I advised him that in case you rating within the Champions League last within the 87th minute after outplaying three gamers and hitting it within the prime nook, I can perhaps perceive [it],” he added. “However I’m old style, I’m 47 and outdated. I by no means performed at this degree however I did rating a number of objectives and if I scored a aim like this, I’d have circled and walked as much as Federico Chiesa and stated: ‘This aim is all about you, this isn’t about me’.”
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Will Nonetheless, who managed Ekitike at Reims, might afford to smile about it. “We caught up earlier than the sport and he stated he would come on and rating and provides me his shirt and bugger off,” stated the Southampton supervisor.
However Slot was extra severe. Ekitike can be suspended for Saturday’s journey to Crystal Palace. It might make it all of the extra essential Isak was withdrawn after 45 minutes.
Along with his watching transient within the second half, the Swede had additional proof of Liverpool’s potential to make life tough for themselves. Their profitable behavior stays however so, too, does an incapacity to look fully convincing. Slot was important. “I used to be proud of a number of performances however removed from proud of a number of others,” he stated. The responsible will know who they’re.
And a beginning 11 costing some £250m – even when half of that went on Isak – and replacements who got here for an additional £120m had been pegged again by a workforce nineteenth within the Championship, winless because the opening day and with a mere three victories in 52 league matches.
Alexander Isak scored his first Liverpool aim since his £125m transfer from Newcastle (Liverpool FC through Getty Photographs)
Liverpool had been horribly responsible for the leveller. Wataru Endo met Ryan Manning’s nook with an terrible header, straight to Joshua Quarshie, who helped the ball into Shea Charles’ path. The Northern Eire worldwide scored his first aim for Southampton.
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Maybe it got here a bit of too early, giving Liverpool time to get a winner, however Southampton might have scored sooner and Slot’s second-string aspect, like their supposed superiors, lacked solidity.
However that they had a sight to savour in Isak celebrating. “He’s the British file signing and hardly anybody talks about this,” deadpanned Slot. The roar for his aim mirrored the importance. It took the £125m man some 123 minutes to open his account, unfold over three appearances. “You can’t play him 90 minutes and in case you solely play him 45 it’d take some time earlier than he scores his first aim,” stated Slot.
However the saga was for Isak to reach, to not rating. At the very least his Liverpool profession has not begun with an inauspicious drought. “Superb,” he stated. “It was good to get again on the market and rating my first aim right here.”
After the deadlock and the acrimony over the summer time, with Isak’s begin to the season delayed by a unique kind of strike, it was his first aim since a penalty for Newcastle in opposition to Brighton on 4 Could. His earlier aim within the turned out to be the decider within the last in opposition to Liverpool.
Ekitike had a huge impact earlier than his late sending off (AFP through Getty Photographs)
It was a slick, modern strike, too: typical Isak, albeit some 42 minutes after he maybe should have scored. He had a golden likelihood after 45 seconds, which Alex McCarthy saved.
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However McCarthy was culpable later. The Swede completed deftly after a cutback from Chiesa, who had intercepted McCarthy’s poor go. The goalkeeper is a part of the outdated breed – certainly, he’s virtually three years older than his supervisor, the precocious Nonetheless – and, in a wierd sequel, Isak’s first help of final season got here when he latched on to a different misplaced ball by McCarthy.
“We appear to maintain capturing ourselves within the foot,” stated Nonetheless. “We’ve got put it in on a plate for them.” His aspect might, maybe ought to, have led about 30 seconds earlier. Adam Armstrong chipped Giorgi Mamardashvili and noticed the ball bounce again off the bar for Leo Scienza to move large of a aim missing a goalkeeper.
As Ekitike did later, in quite completely different circumstances, Isak scored after which departed. “I’m on my solution to getting match,” he stated. He had spearheaded a ahead line, flanked by Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha, and Isak mixed properly with the Italian. Chiesa was terrific: he had a aim disallowed, was denied by McCarthy and ended with two assists.
It was simply his fifth Liverpool begin in a new-look workforce. As Slot made 11 modifications, and likewise omitted Florian Wirtz, there have been debuts for Mamardashvili and Giovanni Leoni.
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The Georgian goalkeeper made a flying save to tip away Armstrong’s rising shot however Leoni’s night, like Ekitike’s however in contrasting vogue, got here to an unlucky finish. The Italian defender was stretchered off, leaving Liverpool to fret if it’s a cruciate ligament damage.
A second summer time signing faces an enforced absence from the workforce, in Ekitike. If it offers him time to replicate upon and rue his stupidity, it offers Liverpool an added motive to be glad Isak is off the mark.