Hugo Ekitike sends clear message to Arne Slot amid Alexander Isak dilemma

Hugo Ekitike was on the scoresheet for France on Thursday night, with the Liverpool forward finally breaking his international duck, and Arne Slot will no doubt have taken notice

Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike would have caught the eye of his club manager and team-mates with a standout performance for France on Thursday night. The 23-year-old was one of two forward signings at Liverpool over the summer, alongside former Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.

However, Ekitike has arguably had a more significant role in Arne Slot’s squad so far, due to Isak’s late arrival and ongoing fitness issues. Despite this, much of the chatter around Liverpool’s summer dealings questioned the necessity for two high-profile striker signings.

While both have already appeared for the Reds as a front two, Ekitike has once again demonstrated another role that he could play at Anfield.

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He is currently on international duty with France, having earned his first senior call-up back in August. In their World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on Thursday evening, he replaced Bradley Barcola on the left wing in the 67th minute.

The appearance saw Ekitike score his first senior goal for the nation – and it was quite something. The Liverpool player collected the ball deep in his own half before charging almost the entire length of the pitch, evading defenders along the way.

He then played a slick one-two with Kylian Mbappe before slotting it through the legs of Ukraine goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. He also rattled the post and was unfortunate not to bag a brace before the final whistle.

Ekitike’s goal was France’s fourth in a comfortable victory that confirms their place at the summit of Group D in World Cup qualifying after five matches.

Only the group leaders automatically qualify, with the runners-up entering a play-off. France are sitting on 13 points, with Iceland and Ukraine trailing on seven and Azerbaijan propping up the table with a solitary point.

With their ticket to next summer’s World Cup now booked, Ekitike will be hoping for a starting berth when they face off against Azerbaijan in their concluding match this weekend.

The forward will also be keen to bring his scoring touch to his Liverpool outings as the Reds prepare for a vital sequence of fixtures following the international hiatus.

Despite the summer spending spree, Slot’s team have had a rocky start to the season, with their recent 3-0 defeat at Manchester City exacerbating their problems.

After the international break, they welcome struggling Nottingham Forest to Anfield before hosting Dutch outfit PSV in the Champions League a few days later.

With Isak also returning fit and named in the Sweden squad for their qualifiers, Ekitike’s adaptability to play in different positions could prove crucial if Slot wants to include both players in his starting XIs.

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