Anfield fell quiet as Anthony Gordon gestured toward the Kop, cupping his hand to his ear after netting Newcastle United’s opener against Liverpool in the 36th minute. The forward’s precise strike raised hopes of a historic win for the visitors—their first at Anfield in the top flight since 1994. Liverpool’s winless streak in the Premier League threatened to reach six matches. Yet Hugo Ekitike ensured those fears dissipated quickly.
The French striker equalized with a sharp poacher’s goal, then added a second in rapid fashion before halftime, propelling Liverpool to a commanding 4-1 victory. Manager Arne Slot praised the 23-year-old’s impact, noting, “The fans love him. From the start, everyone could see how special he is, how fast he is.”
Newcastle’s Long-Standing Interest in Ekitike
Newcastle’s scouting department had tracked Ekitike extensively, attempting to secure his signature three times, most recently last summer. Head coach Eddie Howe admitted the frustration post-match, stating, “Sometimes you have to acknowledge the player against you while also acknowledging we could have defended better. Ekitike is an outstanding player and you saw that today. He’s got a little bit of everything and that’s his biggest strength. He’s tall, quick and he can finish.”
Ekitike’s finishing prowess shines through with 15 goals already for Liverpool this season, a tally that aligns with Newcastle’s expectations for his Premier League adaptation. The club first pursued the then-19-year-old from Reims in 2022 mid-season, but he declined, citing respect for the team yet poor timing. Subsequent bids followed, though Ekitike moved to Paris Saint-Germain and later Eintracht Frankfurt instead. Liverpool ultimately prevailed in the transfer race, also acquiring Alexander Isak from Newcastle, a double blow that stung club legend Shay Given. He remarked, “It hurts me from a Newcastle point of view. [Ekitike] could be wearing a black-and-white shirt. He is brilliant at stretching defences. He has picked Liverpool and of all the signings they did make in the summer, he has been the standout.”
Ekitike Draws Torres Comparisons
Ekitike etched his name in Liverpool history as the youngest player to hit double digits in a league season since Michael Owen in 2000-01. His display invited parallels to Fernando Torres, the club’s prolific striker from the late 2000s. Ekitike’s second goal mirrored Torres’ debut strike against Chelsea in 2007: he latched onto Milos Kerkez’s pass down the left, surged past Malick Thiaw, and slotted home with clinical precision.
Steven Gerrard, who assisted Torres’ iconic goal, highlighted the resemblance during the match coverage, saying, “It is all about Hugo Ekitike running the channel. It is Torres-like. He gets out of his feet and that toe-poke… He reminds me of Torres every time I watch him.” Gerrard and Torres formed a lethal partnership from 2007 to 2011, and Ekitike now builds a similar rapport with Florian Wirtz.
The duo’s on-field chemistry reflects their off-field friendship, contributing to six goals together across competitions—the highest for any Premier League pair. Slot elaborated, “Hugo was scoring a lot of goals from the start of the season and Florian was involved a lot in creating chances for his team-mates and was unlucky that balls did not go in. It was not always possible to play them together every three days. That is what I mean when I speak about off the ball and match fitness—to be able to play every three days. That took a while for them to play at the best of their level at the highest intensity every three days. They are getting closer and closer, and it is no surprise the numbers are going up.”
