Isak vs Ekitike: Slot's happy problem or headache?
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Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak were both on target as Liverpool edged Southampton in the Carabao Cup, but after a pointed celebration, has head coach Arne Slot got a nice problem or a headache up front?
Isak opened the scoring at Anfield on Tuesday night to get off the mark following his British-record £125 million deadline day move from Newcastle United - but it was Ekitike who replaced him at half-time and grabbed the winner to send the Reds to the fourth round.
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The France forward made sure he took the headlines, taking off his shirt in celebration and holding it aloft - an action that earned him a second yellow card that means he will be suspended for Liverpool's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Ekitike's "stupid" sending-off, as Slot called it, has kicked the issue of who will lead the line down the road, at least for one game, but the Dutchman appears to have plenty of attacking dilemmas.
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Throw in Isak and that problem gets bigger."
How costly could Ekitike's moment of madness be?
Both from a team and a personal perspective, it could be huge.
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Liverpool will face an in-form Palace side this weekend that are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions, a run stretching back to April, so it goes without saying they would have wanted Ekitike available for the trip to south east London.
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If you can't, do it in a way that doesn't lead to a yellow card."
As for the player himself, he now misses out on a chance to build on his latest impressive goalscoring display - the striker has now contributed an impressive five goals and an assist in just eight games for his new side - at a time when Isak is still working his way back up to full fitness.
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Now he's not going to play and whether Isak is ready to play or not… Ekitike has let himself down."
Just how fit is Isak?
This would have been the burning question on every Liverpool supporter's lips in the immediate aftermath of Ekitike's red card against the Saints.
When the Sweden striker first teamed up with Liverpool, Slot was quick to emphasise the record signing had, in effect, arriving without a pre-season behind him.
"You have to give him a good base," said the Reds boss when explaining Isak's absence from the squad to face Burnley on September 14.
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But has a Mohamed Salah drop-off arrived earlier than anticipated?
The 33-year-old has provided a goal or assist in all but one of Liverpool's five Premier League games so far this season, the latest being his clipped pass to set up Ryan Gravenberch's superb opener in Saturday's 2-1 win over Everton.
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