Hugo Ekitike jokes about Marc Guehi to Liverpool teammate after Champions League win
Hugo Ekitike has compared his Liverpool teammate Ryan Gravenberch to Man City defender Marc Guehi after he played at centre-back in their 6-0 win over Qarabag.
Liverpool returned to winning ways with aplomb on Wednesday as they booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League at Anfield.
Arne Slot‘s side were 2-0 up at half-time through strikes from Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz as Qarabag failed to match their quality and intensity.
Mac Allister grabbed his brace in the second-half, while Mo Salah, Ekitike and Chiesa all scored to make it six as the Reds finished third in the league stage standings.
Slot’s defensive options have been an area of concern in the weeks and months gone by due to injuries, and he was forced to play Gravenberch out of position on Wednesday as a result.
Ekitike compares Gravenberch to Guehi after his centre-back performance
Gravenberch put in a fine performance at centre-back next to his compatriot Virgil van Dijk at Anfield, despite it being his first time starting a game in the position in his senior career so far.
The 23-year-old did not put a foot wrong all evening, with 94 per cent pass completion, two chances created and 10 recoveries, as the visitors failed to trouble Alisson all night.
He took to Instagram following the clash to celebrate the win and Liverpool’s automatic progression to the last 16, with a post that was simply captioned: “Top 8.”
Gravenberch’s post drew responses from several teammates, not least Ekitike, who replied in typically playful fashion by saying: “Guehi!!” with a laughing emoji.
Guehi came close to joining Liverpool but now plays for rivals Man City
Ekitike’s comment is likely not to poke fun at Guehi, but rather to compare his teammate, who is a midfielder by trade, to one of the best centre-backs in the world following his one-off performance in the back four.
It is also possibly a nod to the fact that Guehi came mightily close to joining Liverpool from Crystal Palace last summer, all for the move to be called off in the final knockings of deadline day.
Guehi was still linked with a move to Anfield in the months leading up to the January window, but he instead joined rivals Man City on 19 January in a deal worth around £20million.
The Reds have missed out on their chance to sign the England international, with Gravenberch now having to fill in at the back, but Ekitike will soon meet Guehi as the two sides face off in Premier League action on 8 February.