Ekitike gives Liverpool boss Slot dream striker conundrum

Hugo Ekitike was the last Liverpool player off the pitch at Anfield with a fist pump to The Kop as they chanted the name of their new cult hero.

If the 23-year-old - signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for £70m - has any concerns about British record signing Alexander Isak threatening his central striking role, he has a funny way of showing it.

Ekitike has made a seamless transition from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, showing quality and composure, as well as a fierce work ethic suited to this Liverpool team.

And he has already struck up a love affair with Liverpool's fans after a superb start to life at Anfield.

It was on show throughout the nervy 2-1 Merseyside derby win against Everton, from the acclaim for a smartly taken goal to the deserved standing ovation he received when replaced by Isak after 67 minutes.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has already flagged how the future of his forwards may pan out, with the possibility of pairing Ekitike and Isak, as well as using the France forward off the left - a position usually occupied by Cody Gakpo.

What a conundrum for Slot to have - one that is the envy of every football manager.

Ekitike has scored three goals in Liverpool's five straight Premier League wins, adding an assist in 370 minutes of action.

He has a big chance conversion, as measured by Opta statistics, of 66.67% from his four shots on target.

Ekitike's contribution deserves a deeper look because he is a tireless nuisance to opposition defences, willing to do the dirty work as well as grab the goalscoring glory.

It fully explains why Liverpool were so determined to beat Newcastle United to his signature, even when they knew there was every chance they would still have to pay that British record fee to lure Isak away from Tyneside.

"Hugo Ekitike is just getting better and better," former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live. "When he gets on the ball, he is a danger and he has been so impressive in his short time at Liverpool."

Ekitike's goal - Liverpool's second, neatly driven under Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford - eventually settled a derby where nerves were jangling in the closing minutes, as David Moyes' improving Toffees posed a real threat.

Liverpool's late-goal specialists did not need to strike this time, but the fear around Anfield was Everton would issue that last-gasp blow as the pressure grew.

In the end all was well: five wins from five, this last one secured despite starting with Isak and Florian Wirtz - £241m worth of summer signings - on the bench.

And, sounding a note that is ominous for those hoping to challenge Liverpool for the title, once again this was not a performance sprinkled with the sparkle of champions.

Liverpool are getting the job done without being at their best, which begs the question - what will they be like when all the new parts accrued this summer fit?

Isak once again, understandably, looked rusty in his appearance as a substitute while Wirtz, who has shown real signs of finally settling to his task in recent games, still has so much more to produce on past evidence.

"They can play together, of course they can. They're both exceptional players," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said about Ekitike and Isak.

"But the manager sees them both as number nines - I think they will split games. One plays 60 minutes, the other 30.

"I think in certain games he might play Ekitike on the left or as a number 10 but predominantly I see them both as central strikers."

Ekitike settled instantly, from the moment he scored an early goal against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley, delivering performances that have seen Anfield take him to its heart.

Slot was delighted to keep Liverpool's winning run going after a tough Champions League assignment at home to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, telling BBC Sport's Match Of The Day: "I'm very satisfied taking everything into account that we had to play our third game in seven games, having the early kick-off.

"I don't care at all about the early kick-off but I do care if you have to play on Wednesday night, then you have to manage this through the whole week.

"Taking that all into account and winning the derby with a great first-half performance, it is good."

Slot added: "Our mentality kept us in the game because they didn't have another chance after their 2-1 goal. We have showed great mentality and showed great quality when we were fresh in the first half."

Ekitike can take great praise for his contribution in building the platform for another win for relentless Liverpool.