Rooney’s verdict on Ekitike creates a selection puzzle for Slot

Liverpool have been told by Wayne Rooney that Hugo Ekitike’s form could leave Alexander Isak with questions to answer when he returns from injury.

Speaking after Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Newcastle, Rooney reflected on the impact Ekitike has made alongside Florian Wirtz and how that shapes Arne Slot’s choices going forward.

Rooney on Ekitike and Isak

Wayne Rooney believes that Ekitike’s performances have changed the conversation about Liverpool’s forward line.

“I’d be more worried if I was Isak, sitting there watching,” Rooney said on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show.

“His Liverpool career just hasn’t got up and going yet.

“Obviously, they paid a lot of money for him and these two [Wirtz and Ekitike] seem to have a really good understanding of each other’s game – they look like a real threat.”

The former England striker went further by highlighting what makes Hugo Ekitike different to a traditional centre-forward.

“Ekitike’s second goal in particular was brilliant. It reminds me of Romario – a little toe-poke goal but it’s instinctive,” Rooney added.

“He is the type of player I like to watch. He’s not a number nine, he’s not a number 10. He drifts out wide, he gets on the ball, brings players into the game and he can score goals. So he’s got a bit of everything.”

That description fits the season Ekitike is having so far.

The 23-year-old France international has played 32 games for Liverpool this season, scoring 15 goals and providing four assists.

Those numbers explain why Rooney sees momentum firmly on Ekitike’s side rather than with Alexander Isak, who has spent much of the campaign injured.

Slot already has a problem he would want

This is not yet a dilemma, because Isak is still recovering and Ekitike is simply playing his way into the team.

Arne Slot will not complain about having two high-level forwards competing for minutes when the schedule tightens.

Ekitike’s growing understanding with Florian Wirtz has already drawn praise elsewhere.

“Ekitike has hit the ground running, he’s been at it from the start. Ekitike and Wirtz look like they enjoy playing together.

“The frightening thing is they’re going to get better and better. This is six months into the partnership,” Joe Cole said after the Newcastle game.

That context matters, because it shows why Slot will be reluctant to disrupt something that is working.

At the same time, Isak’s situation deserves balance rather than panic.

The Sweden international arrived without a full pre-season, struggled to build rhythm, and then suffered a serious leg break.

That sequence explains why judging Isak on raw output alone would be misleading.

There is also a tactical layer to this.

Ekitike does not operate like a fixed striker, which gives Slot options to play two forwards in the same system rather than choosing only one.

That flexibility means Liverpool do not yet face a problem of unhappy players, because rotation and role-sharing are already built into the model.

For now, Rooney’s comments underline the reality that Ekitike has earned his place through form, while Isak’s challenge will be to force his way back into contention when fit.

Liverpool would rather manage that situation than return to a time when there was no competition at all.

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