Alexander Isak frustrates, £60m star delights – Liverpool’s winners and losers vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Liverpool bounced back from their recent woes in style with a handsome victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Liverpool entered their clash with Frankfurt on the back of four straight defeats in all competitions, and when former Leeds United right-back Rasmus Kristensen scored to give his side the lead, supporters would have feared the worst.
However, Hugo Ekitike – who signed for Liverpool from Frankfurt in the summer – set the ball rolling with a composed finish as the Reds staged a first-half turnaround.
Virgil van Dijk was next on the score sheet from a corner after a superb Cody Gakpo delivery, before his centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate followed suit.
Liverpool’s dominance resumed in the second half as Gakpo bagged his fourth goal of the season, whilst Dominik Szoboszlai completed the scoring with a drilled finish.
Arne Slot would have been delighted to see his side bounce back from their recent hardships after securing a 5-1 victory in Germany, and here are the winners and losers from the match.
Winners
Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike has been Liverpool’s most impressive summer signing, and the Frenchman continued to show why in the Champions League.
The 23-year-old made his first start for the Reds in three matches after being dropped to the bench in defeats against Chelsea and Liverpool.
Slot chose to deploy Ekitike alongside Isak in attack, as Mohamed Salah made a rare appearance on the subs bench, and the former Frankfurt man showcased why he’s undroppable.
Not only did he score a breathtaking goal assisted by Andy Robertson, but he led the line brilliantly by pressing from the front and making piercing runs in behind.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Alexis Mac Allister dropped to the bench against Frankfurt, with Slot deploying a midfield duo of Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones.
Szoboszlai, who has been used as a right-back on occasions this term, showed exactly why his best position is in the heart of midfield.
| Dominik Szoboszlai’s stats vs Frankfurt |
| 92 minutes played |
| 104/109 passes completed (95%) |
| 120 touches |
| 1 goal |
| 4 key passes |
| 2 big chances created |
| 6 recoveries |
The Hungarian covered every blade of grass and was near faultless in possession, rounding off his display with a drilled strike from outside the box.
Liverpool have experienced many problems with the balance of their midfield, but Szoboszlai – who joined the Reds for £60m in 2023 – is one of several who deserve a prominent role, especially after tonight’s display.
Losers
Alexander Isak
When Slot deployed Liverpool’s record-signing Isak in attack alongside Ekitike, he would have expected the 26-year-old to make a statement.
It’s been a tough start to life at Anfield after joining from Newcastle United, as he’s failed to score in his first four Premier League appearances.
Micah Richards even claimed Isak looked ‘unfit’ against Man United, and sadly, his woes continued in Germany.
| Alexander Isak stats vs Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 45 minutes played |
| 2 shots on target |
| 6/9 accurate passes (67%) |
| 14 touches |
| 0 successful dribbles |
| 4 times possession lost |
Isak lacked intensity in his play and rarely made any piercing movement across Liverpool’s fluid front line, and as a result, was substituted at half-time for Federico Chiesa.
The substitution could have been because of an injury, but it was most likely down to another poor performance.
Jeremie Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong has endured an injury-hit start to his Liverpool career, spending a considerable spell on the sidelines since joining from Bayer Leverkusen.
Following Conor Bradley’s horror show against Man United, the Dutchman was given a chance to grab the jersey at right-back.
But he was cruelly denied that opportunity after suffering what looks like a fresh hamstring injury with less than 20 minutes on the clock.
Frimpong hobbled off the pitch and was replaced by Bradley, with everyone hoping the problem isn’t anything serious.