Alexander Isak finds form as Hugo Ekitike recovers at Liverpool | OneFootball

Alexander Isak’s revival has come while Hugo Ekitike remains sidelined, easing Andoni Iraola’s immediate call at centre-forward. The Swede has scored three times in his last two Premier League games.

“I wouldn't say fortunate because I think they would have found a way maybe to play them both,” Jermaine Pennant told Goal.com.

“We know that Ekitike likes to drift out to the left, so it wouldn't have surprised me if at some point Isak would have started down the middle, Ekitike may have gone on to the left-hand side and come in on his right foot like Gakpo does and sometimes join up as two number nines.”

“But they are two good players, great players and you can't have a player like that sitting on your bench. They would have made a way, I think, for them both to play at some point.”

Liverpool spent big in 2025, making Isak a £125m British-record signing and adding Ekitike, who later suffered an Achilles injury in April. Isak missed pre-season, then broke his leg, and finished last season on four goals in all competitions.

Ekitike is expected back around the turn of the year, so Iraola has no immediate selection dilemma.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”