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Hugo Ekitike's shocking miss against Atletico Madrid justified Mohamed Salah's confession that the Liverpool duo are not yet fully in sync on the field. The Reds clinched a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Spanish heavyweights on Wednesday in their opening Champions League match of the season.
A double from Marcos Llorente negated early goals from Andy Robertson and Salah, but it was skipper Virgil van Dijk who soared highest to head a goal past Jan Oblak in the 92nd minute, capturing the vital win at Anfield.
There was still time left as Liverpool pressed for a fourth goal before the final whistle. Dominik Szoboszlai played the ball into Salah, who charged down the right wing and crossed the ball to Ekitike to finish from close range.
Despite it seeming like an easy task for the Frenchman to slot the ball into the net, he instead botched his shot, with his effort flying over the bar. It was certainly a shot on goal that Liverpool fans haven't seen from the 23-year-old, who has already netted three times for the club this season.
While Ekitike was in the right place for Salah's pass, he may have misjudged the speed of the Egyptian's delivery, possibly contributing to his regrettable attempt on goal.
The missed opportunity does lend weight to Salah's earlier admission that he hasn't yet developed a fruitful understanding with Ekitike. With the duo having only started five matches together, it's hardly a worry at this stage, though supporters might want to monitor this partnership as the season continues to progress.
Speaking on the Men In Blazers Media Network, the 33-year-old explained that patience is needed when creating on-field connections with his new team-mates, particularly Ekitike. "So far, I didn't figure the connections out yet," said the Liverpool talisman.
"Like with Darwin or Lucho or the guys they used to play in front, or Diogo. I knew where to start with Diogo or Darwin. I know where to find them. I knew their game very well, but with Hugo, he's still new. Sometimes I need the ball in the field. Sometimes we need it in the space.
"We try to figure that out, through the training sessions or like the videos. The manager shows us. So I will figure it out soon because also it's going to help my game to grow as well."
Ekitike entered the match in the 58th minute after being relegated to the bench for the first time since joining Liverpool, replaced by the club's record acquisition Alexander Isak who made his Reds debut.
The demotion to the substitutes' bench did nothing to diminish the backing the striker received from the Anfield faithful, who chanted his name both during his warm-up and when he entered the fray in the second period.
Ekitike was among four Frenchmen who featured in the clash, but it was Atletico's Antoine Griezmann who provided a magical moment for the young striker.
After the final whistle, he exchanged jerseys with the France icon who called time on his international career last year, whilst Ekitike earned his first senior cap for his country this month.
Clearly starstruck by getting hold of the 34-year-old's shirt, Ekitike shared his excitement on his Instagram stories, posting a snap of himself clutching the jersey before tagging Griezmann with the simple caption: "Legend".
With the first Merseyside derby of the season kicking off on Saturday, it's unclear who Arne Slot will choose for his frontline, with one of Cody Gakpo, Isak or Ekitike likely to find themselves on the substitutes' bench.
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