Arne Slot has stressed the importance of Liverpool having two top-quality No. 9 options in their squad, saying it is a necessity.
The Reds edged past Everton with a 2-1 win at Anfield on Saturday, with Hugo Ekitike scoring the second goal of the afternoon.
He was preferred to Alexander Isak in attack, as Liverpool’s record signing finds his feet, with the Premier League champions having two wonderful options to call upon.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Slot made it clear that having both Isak and Ekitike is far from a luxury, but instead something that is “definitely necessary” for him.
“Like any other team in this league, every team has two No.9s – you could see this with Everton today as well,” Slot said.
“We have two No. 9s of excellent quality, like our competitors have as well.
“Now it’s really a good thing because Hugo is definitely not ready, coming from a different league, to play three times 90 minutes in this pace, in the way we play.
“We have a high-intensity game, we constantly try to press. When the ball is out of play, our goalkeeper tries to start the play fast instead of taking a minute.
“It’s a high-pace game we try to play and Alex – as we all know now because I said it so many times and I think it was out in the open before as well – has only trained two weeks with the team, which he didn’t do for four months.
“So to have two now is definitely necessary and every top Premier League team has two great No. 9s – and we do as well.”
A narrative has been built in the media and among rival supporters that Liverpool didn’t need to sign Isak on top of Ekitike this summer.
It is an opinion that makes little sense, however, considering Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez were sold, and Diogo Jota tragically passed away in July.
Without Isak, Liverpool would look alarmingly short in central attacking areas, so two new strikers were always going to be needed.
It is great to see the Reds have some elite options in the final third, with a lack of depth there so often holding them back in the past.
They were capable of running Man United close in the late 2000s, for example, but once Fernando Torres was injured, there simply wasn’t enough quality in reserve.
This is arguably the strongest squad Liverpool have ever had, even if they do feel one centre-back short, and they are primed to thrive across four competitions this season.