Stupidity collides with sleekness in Liverpool’s tale of two strikers

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

On the night the £125m man opened his account for his new club, Ekitike contrived to upstage his striking rival, extending Liverpool’s extraordinary record of late deciders and yet creating a vacancy in attack.

For the sixth time in seven games, Liverpool won late on; for the fourth time after they had lost a lead.

It may make Arne Slot all the more relieved he took Isak off at half-time, albeit without anticipating his replacement would come and go in 40 minutes.



Hugo Ekitike scored the winner for Liverpool and took his shirt off in celebration (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)At which point he was promptly sent off for a second bookable offence (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

With his watching brief in the second half, Isak had further evidence of Liverpool’s ability to make life difficult for themselves.

The Northern Ireland international scored his first goal for Southampton.

Perhaps it came a little too early, giving Liverpool time to get a winner, but Southampton could have scored sooner and Slot’s second-string side, like their supposed superiors, lacked solidity.

Alexander Isak scored his first Liverpool goal since his £125m move from Newcastle (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

At half-time, though, as Isak warmed down, they could be satisfied.

His previous goal in the Carabao Cup turned out to be the decider in the final against Liverpool.

Sooner or later, he would have become the most expensive player to find the net for an English club, but at least his Liverpool career has not begun with an inauspicious drought.

It was a slick, sleek strike, too: typical Isak, albeit some 42 minutes after he perhaps ought to have scored.

After Isak went off, Chiesa had a goal disallowed, crossed when Ekitike headed wide and again when he did score.

Just his fifth Liverpool start was an eventful affair while it was only Ngumoha’s second and Trey Nyoni’s third.