lined up alongside creators current and previous. It was who offered him with a objective, who equipped the compliments. A post-match interview pitchside was notable for the way in which Gerrard, a person not given to gushing, reached for maybe the best reward he might.
He in contrast Ekitike to . His introduced explicit echoes: the quicksilver acceleration, the virtually instinctive end. “He is scoring comparable varieties of targets, the place in the event you give him house within the channel, he’ll run it, he is too fast, you’ll be able to’t catch him and he is lethal,” mentioned Gerrard. “There are lots of similarities: tempo, energy.”
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It could make Gerrard really feel previous that Ekitike was solely eight when Torres left Liverpool. When the Frenchman noticed Gerrard and Torres, it was by way of clips. “Again within the day I could not watch the Premier League, to be sincere,” he mentioned. His mom, he admitted, couldn’t afford the tv subscription. He liked Torres, however the affect should be oblique.
And but, past private reminiscences of his accomplice in a devastating double act, there could have been explanation why Gerrard seemed again thus far for a likeness. Liverpool have had superlative scorers within the final decade, gamers who’ve had tempo and been prolific, however they’ve tended to be wingers. It has been the age of and Sadio Mane. Ekitike can function off the left and maybe he’ll , however he’s basically a speedy striker, as Torres was.
However Ekitike is . “I might like to be the highest scorer within the membership,” he mentioned. With 15 targets, virtually twice as many as anybody else, it seems as if he shall be. And that shall be a break from the current previous. Not since Daniel Sturridge a decade in the past has a centre-forward completed the season as Liverpool’s main scorer; not since Luis Suarez in 2013-14 has one completed so with 20 or extra targets. Partly, such statistics mirror Salah’s extraordinary impression, partly Jurgen Klopp’s techniques the place was the selfless false 9, the wingers have been scorers greater than crossers and Liverpool discovered a really new components.
Hugo Ekitike’s instinctive end towards Newcastle was resemblant of… (Getty Photos)
…former Liverpool talisman Fernando Torres (Getty Photos)
As they’re beginning to recalibrate to a post-Salah world, it might contain borrowing from an previous one. Torres was at his finest with Gerrard in behind him. Liverpool are unlikely to undertake the counter-attacking 4-4-1-1 of Rafa Benitez; Arne Slot has said his fondness for wingers. And, in any case, Florian Wirtz could usually be deployed from the flanks, particularly in harder video games that demand a trio in midfield.
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However Wirtz operated as a No 10 on Saturday and arrange Ekitike’s equaliser. They’ve mixed for six targets this season and an understanding is being cast. “I don’t suppose it involves a shock to anybody – positively to not me – as a result of the extra gamers play collectively, the extra they’ll discover an understanding,” rationalised Arne Slot. “The extra we’ve the ball they’ll present how particular they’re.” Initially Ekitike’s minutes needed to be rationed whereas Wirtz was benched for a few of the extra demanding video games. Now every is a assured starter.
Ekitike had an explosive impression from the off. Wirtz had a slower begin, actually when it got here to discovering the web, going 23 video games and not using a objective. However since 20 December, he has three assists and 6 targets in all competitions. Ekitike’s tempo can go well with a participant with a capability to select a go and Wirtz mentioned: “He’s simply unbelievable.”
Hugo Ekitike scored twice at Anfield and shaped a positive partnership with Florian Wirtz (AFP by way of Getty Photos)
A part of the logic in shopping for every was to attempt to get one of the best accessible choice. Wirtz was focused by Manchester Metropolis, Actual Madrid and Bayern Munich. Ekitike was wished by Newcastle and Manchester United. Liverpool knew they’d purchased pedigree. Now, a number of months on, it appears they’ve acquired a partnership for the longer term.
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But if Ekitike has extra similarities with Torres than Wirtz has with Gerrard – the £100m man has nothing just like the bodily presence or energy of the previous captain – there are two different distinct variations. One was that Rafa Benitez settled on a blueprint, with Gerrard as a No 10. Slot’s technique can change, and there are video games when Wirtz operates from a wider function.
The opposite is the continuing downside of Isak, and the place he suits in when match. He’s but to forge an analogous understanding with both Ekitike or Wirtz. Whereas Slot believes others of Liverpool’s signings are benefiting from time collectively on the pitch, Isak has spent too little, it has been interrupted and he has hardly ever been in peak situation. And if anybody compares him with Torres now, will probably be the Chelsea model – the document purchase who scored too few targets – and never the participant Gerrard eulogised at Anfield.