Hugo Ekitiki: How the French striker has already become a cult hero at Liverpool

When Hugo Ekitiki walked off to the adulation of the Anfield fans last Saturday and sat on the bench, Alexander Isak stroked the back of his Liverpool team-mate’s hair. The Terminator recognizes the Terminator.

Isak’s chance will surely come again, but while the record-breaking £125m summer signing has been sidelined with a broken leg, all he can do is watch and admire his fellow striker. So far, there’s a lot to admire.

It is a testament to the way Ikitiki have adapted to life in the Premier League that no one has suggested that Liverpool have missed out or need Sweden international Isaac back quickly.

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 scored in the FA Cup last month, he became the second Liverpool player to score in five different competitions during his debut season, alongside Kenny Dalglish. Talk about good company.

However, beyond the numbers, there is a dynamic striker who has serious speed, reads the game intelligently, can communicate well and, most importantly, can finish.

In recent weeks, Ekitiki has been compared to Fernando Torres, arguably one of Liverpool’s best players of the 21st century, and has received high praise from Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney.

Shearer described Ekitiki’s second goal against Newcastle as “world class”, while Rooney said the Frenchman was “one of, if not the best signings in the Premier League” this season.

Manchester United’s all-time top scorer added on his podcast: “He’s the kind of player I like to watch. He’s not a number nine, he’s not a number 10. He drifts wide, gets the ball, gets players into the game and can score goals. He’s got a little bit of everything really.”

What makes Ekitike so impressive is the range of scenarios in which he thrives due to his wide skill set. The unusual toe-tip for that goal against Newcastle has sparked debate, but it’s a deliberate tool he has in his wardrobe.

In a behind-the-scenes training video in July, Ekitiki scored goals in a similar manner. For both goals, his shooting leg barely swung back, preventing keepers from reading what type of shot he was going to take.

Combined with the uncommon nature of the strike, he is able to often surprise opponents with these goals – drawing comparisons to legendary Brazilian striker Romário, who became famous for his toe strikes.