3 hours ago
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Jamie Carragher acknowledges that Arne Slot hasn't solved Liverpool's most pressing dilemma - accommodating both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike in the same starting XI.
Liverpool shattered the British transfer record to secure Isak in a £125 million ($163.8 million) move from Newcastle, yet he remains without a Premier League goal since his arrival. In contrast, Ekitike - who arrived for £79 million ($103.5 million) from Eintracht Frankfurt - has proven far more clinical in front of goal.
The French striker found the net in his opening three appearances for Liverpool but has since been forced to rotate with Isak following the Swedish international's signing.
With Isak sidelined through injury for the Reds' previous two fixtures, Slot has had no choice but to deploy Ekitike from the start - and Carragher believes this arrangement should continue.
Looking ahead, however, the Liverpool icon concedes that Slot faces a far more complex challenge.
"Ekitike has to play now," Carragher told Sky Sports. "I could totally understand it's not easy - and this was always my reservation about buying two strikers for that much money, who both play in the same position.
"It's very difficult to see a Liverpool team or any team get two strikers on the pitch unless maybe you're playing three at the back. It's not easy to do that.
"So, I understand trying to get Isak in the team even though Ekitike was doing well because he's a great player, he's got to get him fit and he's also paid a lot of money for him. My mind boggles, going forward, [at] how this is going to work.
"But right now Ekitike has got the shirt, he's playing really well and it'll probably do Isak a little bit of good if he's not so much out the team but maybe builds his fitness up more in training rather than in the games right now.
"There's obviously a lot of fingers getting pointed at [Isak] and it means Ekitike's gotta be on the bench, which is not right at the moment... But where does he come back in?
"I knew this'd happen. I knew this at the start of the season."
Slot won't face that dilemma when Liverpool welcomes Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. During his pre-match press conference, the Reds manager confirmed that Isak, Alisson Becker, and Jeremie Frimpong would all miss the fixture.
"All three are not available tomorrow," Slot stated. "Jeremie and Alisson will both not be available for Sunday [at Manchester City]. With Alex, we have to wait and see.
"He definitely is not starting on Sunday, but maybe he can be in the squad. But he is still not training with the team so we have to wait and see."
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