Arne Slot’s Anfield is peopled with a variety of top-class talent, but Liverpool have still struggled to click into gear this season.
In truth, this was always going to be a testing year for the Reds after the events of the summer, and the squad deserve a measure of leeway.
But the football will just keep coming, and Liverpool know that they cannot allow their wretched Premier League form to rage on, having lost five of their past six matches in the division.
Regardless, Liverpool can be optimistic for the future. The likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak may not have found form yet following record-breaking summer moves, but these are two of the most talented players in England, and their success at the club is a matter of when, not if.
No such misfortune for Hugo Ekitike, though, who has been thriving since completing a £69m move to the club from Eintracht Frankfurt in July.
The numbers behind Hugo Ekitike's start at Liverpool
Looking even deeper into the Merseysiders’ squad, though, we can see that Liverpool are raising a school of youngsters with so much potential, and despite the bump in the road this year, there’s one who has the capacity to end up outstripping Ekitike at number nine.
Some felt Liverpool’s hijack of Newcastle United’s move for the France forward was needless as they pushed ahead to land Isak’s signature this summer, but Ekitike has responded emphatically on the pitch.
So mobile and creative, Ekitike offers far more than just goals. Data from FBref tells of his protean quality, ranking among the top 8% of Premier League strikers this term for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90.
Across all competitions, he has scored more than any other Redman this term, and this, having joined a loose-wired tactical machine from overseas.
Hugo Ekitike
16
6 + 1
Mohamed Salah
15
5 + 3
Cody Gakpo
16
4 + 3
Federico Chiesa
12
2 + 3
Alexander Isak
8
1 + 1
Florian Wirtz
16
0 + 3
Rio Ngumoha
6
1 + 0
The 23-year-old’s ability to chop and change his attacking outlook is one of his biggest strengths. He is tactically malleable, and this will serve him well over the coming years.
He’s been the cream of the attacking crop this season, for sure, and looks set for a propitious future on Merseyside. That said, he will continue to tussle with Isak for minutes, and the Sweden striker is bound to hit his world-class stride at some stage.
Moreover, Liverpool are developing an academy star who has the potential to go all the way.
The Liverpool teen who could surpass Ekitike
When ‘Klopp’s Kids’ helped steer Liverpool’s iconic manager to silverware in his final season, fans thought the club had unearthed a treasure trove of up-and-coming talent.
Most of those stars have since moved on, but Liverpool’s academy system has continued to evolve and several stars are showing themselves to have real potential.
Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha are the biggest names, but Keyrol Figueroa is on the road toward making himself known, for sure. The 19-year-old striker has scored seven goals from nine league outings in Rob Page’s development side this season, meaning he is currently the club’s top scorer across all levels, ahead of Ekitike.
In October, Slot named Figueroa among his substitutes in the Carabao Cup at Anfield. Liverpool were thrashed 3-0 by Crystal Palace, but this stood as a testament to the regard the teenager, son of former Premier League star Maynor Figueroa, is held in.
A powerful runner, strong in the duel and tenacious across all phases of play, Figueroa is on the cusp of breaking onto the major stage, and while he will find opportunities hard to come by in a Reds side chock-full with attacking talent, Slot is clearly a fan.
It’s probably worth noting that Liverpool U21s have not been at their best this year. After nine matches, Page’s outfit are 21st in the 29-team league.
They have only won three games, but in each of these fixtures, Figueroa has scored. He has started only five of nine outings this season. It’s clear to see why Page has said he has the making of a “lethal, ruthless number nine”.
This is a remarkable, clinical run for the prospect, and if he manages to prove that he has unlocked a sustainable attacking quality, there’s every chance he could be knocking on Slot’s door sooner than many would have anticipated, frankly.
There has been a clear emphasis over the past several years at Liverpool on keeping a clear pathway open, running from the academy set-up to the senior squad.
Figueroa deserves a shot, especially since all the shots he is taking right now are finding the back of the net. Of course, we have seen already this season the benefits that can be found from giving hungry youngsters a chance (looking at you, Ngumoha).
Given Liverpool’s struggles at the highest level over the past several months, Figueroa’s inclusion in the months ahead might not be a bad thing, should he continue to score at such a clinical rate.
He might not be on Ekitike’s level at the moment, but his physicality and natural-born eye for goal suggest he could become a real star on Merseyside, perhaps even going on to eclipse the Frenchman down the line.
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