As Hugo Ekitike walked off to the adulation of the Anfield crowd last Saturday and took his seat on the bench, Alexander Isak simply patted his Liverpool team-mate’s hair from behind. A finisher recognises a finisher.
Isak’s chance will certainly come again, but while the record £125m summer signing is sidelined with a broken leg, all he can do is watch and admire his fellow forward. So far, there is plenty to admire.
It is testament to the way Ekitike has adapted to life in the Premier League that no-one has suggested Liverpool have missed or need Sweden international Isak back in a hurry.
The numbers alone are impressive – 15 goals and four assists in all competitions since his £79m move from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer.
When the 23-year-old netted in the FA Cup last month, he became only the second Liverpool player to score in five different competitions during their debut campaign, alongside Kenny Dalglish. Talk about good company.
Yet beyond the numbers is a dynamic forward who has serious pace, reads the game intelligently, can link up well and above all, can finish.
In recent weeks, Ekitike has been compared to Fernando Torres, arguably one of the best finishers Liverpool have had in the 21st century, and received high praise from Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney.
Shearer described Ekitike’s second goal against Newcastle as “world class”, while Rooney said the Frenchman was “one of, if not the best signing in the Premier League” this season.
“He’s the type of player I like to watch. He’s not a number nine, he’s not a number 10. He drifts out wide, gets on the ball, brings players into the game and he can score goals. He’s got a bit of everything really,” added Manchester United’s record goalscorer on his podcast.
What makes Ekitike so impressive is the range of scenarios he thrives in due to his expansive skillset. An unusual toe-poked finish for that goal against Newcastle sparked conversation, but it’s a deliberate tool he has in his locker.
In a behind-the-scenes training video from July, Ekitike scored in an identical manner. For both goals, his shooting leg barely swings back, which prevents keepers from being able to read the kind of shot he will take.
Paired with the uncommon nature of the strike, he is able to catch opponents off-guard more often with these goals – drawing comparisons with legendary Brazilian forward Romario, who was famed for his toe-poked finishes.
