The brave Hugo Ekitike choice Liverpool must make

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

Yet there are times when Hugo Ekitike has been Liverpool’s overlooked attacker. And yet each occasion has ended up being about Mohamed Salah: after his interview at Elland Road and his reintegration against Brighton.The first, arguably, started to revolve around others when Leeds mounted a comeback following Ekitike's brace.

Then came an extraordinary game at Newcastle: Ekitike’s goal lacked the astonishing element of the 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha’s 100th-minute winner.Perhaps it rendered slightly more understandable that Ekitike sought the spotlight after his Carabao Cup winner against Southampton: removing his shirt to brandish it when already on a yellow card was, in the words of Arne Slot, “stupid” and “needless”.And yet Ekitike has occupied a strange position this season. But then he has also appeared much the finest centre-forward at Anfield, often while being sacrificed on the altar of Alexander Isak.Hugo Ekitike has been quietly effective for Liverpool this season (AFP via Getty Images)Even when a third of his league appearances have come off the bench – and he missed a further match due to the suspension incurred against Southampton – only Erling Haaland and, more surprisingly, Igor Thiago currently have more Premier League goals than the Frenchman.

With the £125m man, they have won just one of six, getting a meagre tally of four points.It has usually been a choice between them, but only one of Ekitike’s goals, at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, has come with Isak on the pitch. Isak’s price tag has brought him preferential treatment, even as Ekitike’s performances have been considerably superior.