Hugo Ekitike gives Arne Slot 'headache' as Alexander Isak sent Liverpool warning

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Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCFrance legend Thierry Henry has been impressed by the form of Hugo Ekitike since arriving at Liverpool in the summerThierry Henry believes Hugo Ekitike has given Liverpool boss Arne Slot a "nice headache" after an impressive start to his Anfield career. Ekitike, a £79million arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer, became the first player since Daniel Sturridge in January 2013 to score in his first three Liverpool appearances.The 23-year-old has thus far totalled five goals and an assist in 10 outings, form that has earned him a first-ever France national team appearance last month with the striker currently with his country ahead of their forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Azerbijan and Iceland.Ekitike, though, is now having to compete with £125million Alexander Isak for a starting role as the central striker, and was restricted to a brief outing from the bench in the 2-1 Premier League defeat at Chelsea on Saturday evening.READ MORE: Liverpool suffer another injury scare as unexpected midfielder withdrawal explainedREAD MORE: Alexander Isak told Liverpool 'honeymoon' is over already as prediction made on £125m starBut France legend Henry is convinced Ekitike has become a very real alternative to Isak for Reds head coach Slot."You call that a nice headache," said the former Arsenal legend.

He arrived and erased any doubts about the time it would take him to adapt. He showed that he is at the level to play for Liverpool."Nobody was questioning whether Isak would adapt after what he did for Newcastle.

The question mark was more on Ekitike, and he answered the call."At every club, you need to have players of the same quality at every position, because if someone falls asleep then the guy that comes in can take your place. That’s what we created at Arsenal – the quality on the bench is the same as on the field."Asked which Premier League summer signing impressed him the most, Henry said to Betway: "It’s Ekitike."People will say it’s an obvious one, but credit is due – nobody thought he was going to arrive and perform like that."