Player Ratings: Hugo Ekitike shines as Liverpool smash Eintracht Frankfurt | OneFootball

Player Ratings: Hugo Ekitike shines as Liverpool smash Eintracht Frankfurt | OneFootball

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·22. Oktober 2025

Player Ratings: Hugo Ekitike shines as Liverpool smash Eintracht Frankfurt

Artikelbild:Player Ratings: Hugo Ekitike shines as Liverpool smash Eintracht Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Liverpool: Ruthless Reds Expose Defensive Flaws

Liverpool produced a commanding Champions League display in Frankfurt, dismantling Eintracht 5-1 in a match that highlighted the gulf in defensive organisation between the two sides. For Frankfurt, it was another night of frustration, while for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, it was a welcome return to fluid attacking football after a stuttering few weeks.

Early Promise Quickly Undone

Eintracht Frankfurt began brightly and even drew first blood through Rasmus Kristensen, who struck across goal to beat Giorgi Mamardashvili. For a moment, the Deutsche Bank Park crowd sensed an upset might be brewing. However, that optimism quickly faded.


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Liverpool equalised just ten minutes later when Andrew Robertson’s lofted ball split the hosts’ high defensive line. Hugo Ekitiké latched onto it with pace and precision, slotting home on his return to Frankfurt. The goal underlined the home side’s lack of positional awareness, a recurring weakness that would define their evening.

Artikelbild:Player Ratings: Hugo Ekitike shines as Liverpool smash Eintracht Frankfurt

Photo: IMAGO

Set-Piece Woes Continue

Defensive frailty from set pieces compounded Frankfurt’s problems. Virgil van Dijk rose highest from a Dominik Szoboszlai corner to make it 2-1, before Ibrahima Konaté added a third before half-time, again from a Szoboszlai delivery. The Hungarian midfielder’s precision proved deadly, while Frankfurt’s marking was nowhere to be found.

After the interval, Liverpool’s dominance grew. Florian Wirtz found space between the lines and teed up Cody Gakpo to score Liverpool’s fourth. Wirtz, arguably the best player on the pitch, later turned scorer himself, drilling a long-range strike beyond Zetterer for 5-1.

Defensive Collapse and Tactical Concerns

Eintracht’s back line looked disjointed from start to finish. Via FotMob, the German side allowed Liverpool 14 shots on target, with an expected goals on target (xGOT) value of 4.31 and 11 big chances conceded. These numbers tell a story of structural collapse, rather than just individual errors.

The midfield pairing of Mario Götze and Hugo Larsson offered little protection to the defence, while even Ellyes Skhiri’s later introduction failed to stem the tide. A lack of a true holding midfielder is becoming a major issue, one that will surely need addressing in January if Frankfurt are to remain competitive in Europe.

Player Ratings

Eintracht FrankfurtMichael Zetterer (3), Rasmus Kristensen (5), Aurele Amenda (4), Robin Koch (4), Arthur Theate (4), Mario Götze (5), Hugo Larsson (5), Ansgar Knauff (5), Ritsu Doan (5), Nathaniel Brown (5), Jean Bahoya (5).Substitutes: Jonathan Burkardt (5), Nmandi Collins (5), Fares Chaibi (5), Can Uzun (5), Ellyes Skhiri (5).

LiverpoolGiorgi Mamardashvili (6), Jeremie Frimpong (5), Ibrahima Konaté (6), Virgil van Dijk (6), Andrew Robertson (6), Dominik Szoboszlai (8), Curtis Jones (6), Hugo Ekitiké (7), Florian Wirtz (8), Cody Gakpo (6), Aleksander Isak (5).Substitutes: Conor Bradley (5), Federico Chiesa (5), Mohamed Salah (5), Alexis Mac Allister (5), Joe Gomez (5).

Player of the Match: Florian Wirtz (8)

Wirtz’s influence was immense. After a quiet start to life at Liverpool, he looked revitalised against familiar opposition, registering two assists and a goal. “Wirtz provided two assists this evening, and even created the most chances in the whole game (four),” highlighting his growing confidence in Slot’s system.

Frankfurt’s struggles, meanwhile, show little sign of easing. Another 5-1 defeat, following their loss to Atlético Madrid, has left die Adler searching for answers in both personnel and approach.

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