Arne Slot’s ‘long-term’ Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak plan revealed by expert, it is radical
Liverpool boss Arne Slot is unlikely to play Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak together in attack soon after the former’s strong start to life at the club.
That is according to former England and Southampton star Matt Le Tissier, who exclusively told Football Insider that he thinks Arne Slot will choose to start one or the other up-front for Liverpool for the foreseeable future, but that could change as tactics shift to favouring a two-man strikeforce once again.
Liverpool did not rest on their laurels in the summer window after winning the Premier League title, with Hugo Ekitike signed for around £69million from Eintracht Frankfurt, while Alexander Isak‘s long saga eventually saw him move to Anfield on deadline day for a British record transfer fee of £125m [BBC].
Ekitike joined earlier in the summer and so has begun the campaign as Slot’s main striker, with his faith repaid impressively through numerous good performances and four goals in seven games in all competitions.
Isak has not shown much of his known quality in his two substitute appearances as yet, and he could be facing a tough fight to become a regular starter under Slot if the France international continues to shine.
Ekitike and Isak could play together in Liverpool attack as new tactics shift on the cards
Ekitike grabbed his third league goal of 2025-26 as he doubled Liverpool’s lead in the Merseyside derby against Everton on Saturday (20 September) with a smart finish past Jordan Pickford.
Isak, meanwhile, only touched the ball 10 times and did not have a shot on goal in his 23-minute substitute appearance, so it is clear that he may well have to get used to warming the bench for now at the start of his Reds career.
Le Tissier exclusively told Football Insider that he cannot see the pair starting together soon, with Slot favouring one striker in his 4-3-3 formation, but he thinks that may change as top teams start to deploy two forwards and tactics revert back to older systems again.
He said: “Liverpool started the game [against Everton] unbelievably well, almost putting it to bed quite early on, although Everton did have a little bit of a comeback in the second-half. Hugo Ekitike was on the scoresheet again, while Alexander Isak was sitting on the bench.
“People have asked me if I think that it’s possible that those two could play together, and what Arne Slot’s long-term plan is going to be for them. In the short-term, at the moment I don’t think they’ll play together, but I have a funny feeling that football is just starting to change a little bit again with the whole ‘just the one man up top’ situation.
“I think more and more clubs are just starting to look at this situation and thinking ‘can we be a little bit more potent if we have two men up front?’ I think over the next year to 18 months we might see a bit of change when it comes to the frontlines of top teams. Bring back the big-man, small-man partnership, I say.”
Slot could shift Ekitike out wide to accommodate Isak in his starting eleven
Ekitike proved that Slot made the correct decision to start him against Everton with a decent performance and goal, but did not keep it up in the second half and was rightly taken off.
Isak continued his slow start to life at Anfield, but he is surely set to be given ample chances from the off in the coming weeks and months considering his reputation for scoring in the Premier League and the monstrous fee that the Reds paid to finally get his signature over the line.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 87 | 54 | 10 |
Ekitike did play on the left-wing at times for Frankfurt prior to his move to Liverpool, and his versatility could well see him shifted out to the flank so Isak starts more often in Premier League games.
He does not seem likely to give up his place too easily in the coming weeks, though, with Ekitike currently rated as one of the Premier League’s most clinical finishers with a +1.22 xG differential, and he does not need to be dropped for the Swede anytime soon considering his current form and ability to step up in big moments.