Slot Reveals Reason for Early Hugo Ekitike Substitution Against Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Arne Slot Explains Hugo Ekitike Substitution in Liverpool’s Community Shield Loss

Early Impact from New Striker

Liverpool manager Arne Slot offered clarity on his decision to substitute Hugo Ekitike before full time in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace. The French striker, signed from Eintracht Frankfurt after a spell at Paris Saint-Germain, made an immediate impression at Wembley by opening the scoring just four minutes into his competitive debut with a precise low finish into the corner.

Ekitike’s lively start gave Liverpool early momentum, yet the afternoon ended in disappointment as the Premier League champions were beaten 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Twice in front during normal time, Liverpool allowed Palace to respond on each occasion before faltering from the spot.

Despite being the club’s only recognised centre-forward following Darwin Núñez’s £46 million move to Al-Hilal, Ekitike was withdrawn after 71 minutes for Alexis Mac Allister. Slot’s choice to sacrifice his new forward for an extra midfielder sparked questions, particularly with Liverpool chasing sharpness ahead of the new league campaign.

Photo: IMAGO

Slot’s Reasoning for the Change

Speaking to reporters, Slot revealed the substitution was a calculated precaution.

“He had a good impact but he is also an example of a player who came, I think, one-and-a-half to two weeks ago, at the end of our Asian tour,” Slot explained. “So for me, with only three or four days before the Friday game, it wouldn’t be smart to play him for 90 minutes because… of course we have Federico [Chiesa] but he has not been on the Asian tour as well, so there’s not a lot to replace him with.

“So, if he gets an injury at this moment of time, that would be a big risk for the Bournemouth, Newcastle and Arsenal games. That’s why I took him off but he had a good game today, that’s for sure.”

Frustration at Missed Opportunity

Liverpool’s bright start was undone when Virgil van Dijk’s foul on Ismaila Sarr allowed Jean-Philippe Mateta to equalise from the penalty spot. Moments of quality returned in the 20th minute when Jeremie Frimpong’s curling delivery found the net while the stadium paid tribute to Diogo Jota and André Silva. Palace, however, struck back again through Sarr, capitalising on slack defending.

The shootout proved costly for Liverpool as Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott all failed to convert. Slot admitted afterwards that Palace could have settled the match without the need for penalties.

Photo: IMAGO

“The main issue, I don’t think there was a main issue unless if the other team misses two penalties and you still lose within five penalties, that of course doesn’t help,” Slot said. “But I think in general, it was a game where we twice came one goal up and, in my opinion, we controlled the game until the moment they scored the 2-2. Then, all of a sudden, although we still had one big chance for Mo Salah, we could have lost it in the end as well.

“But until that moment, [at] 2-1, there was every reason for me to expect that we would win this game. But after the 2-2 we were maybe lucky that we could go to penalties.”

Eyes on the Premier League Opener

Liverpool were without Ryan Gravenberch due to the birth of his child, adding to the selection challenges for Slot. The squad now turns its focus to Friday night’s league opener against Bournemouth at Anfield, where Ekitike could play a key role after his promising debut.

While the defeat was a setback, there was one note of personal success as Curtis Jones set a unique Community Shield record, a reminder that even in disappointment, there are moments worth remembering.