14 hours ago
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Ally McCoist and Frank Leboeuf have offered their insights to Liverpool's head coach, Arne Slot, on how Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak could flourish together in the team.
The Reds secured both strikers during the summer transfer window. Liverpool finalized a deal with Eintracht Frankfurt to sign Ekitike, a move that could cost up to £79 million ($103.9 million). On transfer deadline day, Isak made his way to Anfield from Newcastle for a British record transfer fee of £125 million ($164.4 million)
Since his transfer, Ekitike has netted six goals for Liverpool, while Isak has only managed to find the back of the net once. A question that has been put to Slot is whether Liverpool can accommodate both Ekitike and Isak in the same starting eleven.
McCoist has outlined why it's feasible for Slot to incorporate both strikers into the team, including where Ekitike would be positioned if this were to occur. "One dilemma that Arne Slot has got, is if they could play together?" McCoist told talkSPORT Bet.
"Of course, they could play together. Could they play together in a 4-4-2? I don't think they will because I don't think that's the favored formation. Could they do it? Of course, they could do it because they're good players.
"A 4-3-3? I don't have any doubt Hugo Ekitike would be the one coming off one of the sides."
Leboeuf was also asked the same question, and he explained which striker Slot should opt to start if he had to choose just one. "It’s going to be tricky because right now the only one who should play is Hugo Ekitike," Leboeuf said in an interview with OLBG.
"Hugo should play every game because Alexander Isak didn't train for a while, was fighting against Newcastle in order to come to Liverpool, but right now Isak is not the Isak we have known from years playing for Newcastle. But he put a lot of pressure on Hugo.
"Hugo started very well, scoring every game in the team, which is a shadow of itself. But right now, Hugo is doing great, and Arne Slot should only play him. And it doesn't matter if the other guy costs 130 or 150 million. If he's not ready enough, you should play Hugo.
"There is a possibility for Hugo also to play on the left side. It's also possible for Isak to do so. He has the choice of a king, as we say in France, Arne Slot."
McCoist and Leboeuf were also questioned about Mohamed Salah's performances at Liverpool this season. The Egyptian forward has netted just five goals in all competitions this campaign, a statistic that has raised concerns for both pundits.
"Another big problem I've got is that Mohamed Salah is still not firing," said McCoist. "I don't care what anybody says, he's not firing. If there's anybody that we should give a bit of slack to, it is, without doubt, Mo Salah because he's been absolutely unbelievable.
"But you cannot deny that there has been a little bit of a loss in form. So the whole forward line is, I think, struggling a little bit as well."
Leboeuf continued: "We have to talk about Mohamed Salah as well, he is not the Salah we have seen. So you have Salah, Cody Gakpo, Ekitike, and Isak."
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