5 is the number Liverpool wants to avoid when facing Eintracht Frankfurt. However, instead of suffering a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions, Arne Slot's army ended that unforgettable streak with a 5-1 victory in the Champions League. This is a result that helps them answer most of the doubts about the Premier League championship.
Slot will certainly be pleased to see Florian Wirtz - a £100 million signing - shine with two assists in this convincing victory. This is also a match in which Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones proved that Liverpool can completely operate an effective midfield, even when on the field with many attacking stars.
However, besides the clear bright spots in the performance that helped end the 4-failed streak, there is still a big concern for Liverpool. Alexander Isak - a record signing worth £ 125 million - played just 45 minutes before being withdrawn at half-time due to a groin problem. His lackluster performance before leaving the pitch continues to make fans question the striker's form.
Before the 1-2 loss to Manchester United in the Premier League right at Anfield, Slot affirmed that Isak had no reason to justify his form and fitness. The interruption of the pre-season has made it almost impossible for the Swedish striker to fully train.
"We can assess him fairly from now on," Slot said just five days before the match against Eintracht Frankfurt. However, after deciding to start Isak instead of Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool captain will only have to thank Hugo Ekitike. The £69 million rookie bought from Frankfurt continued to score, while his more famous teammate struggled to regain his form.
"Isak had to leave the pitch because he had a groin pain. Hopefully the injury is not too serious" - Slot said after the victory over Frankfurt.
Isak has now scored just one goal in eight appearances and is likely to be out for the foreseeable future. In contrast, Ekitike has scored six goals in 12 games, becoming the brightest star in the Reds' attack.
When Liverpool were behind 0-1 after Rasmus Kristensen's opening goal in the 26th minute, Ekitike themselves made a turning point for the match with a beautiful equaliser just 9 minutes later. Just 7 seconds since Andy Robertson launched the attack from home, Ekitike showed incredible speed and calmness before finishing coolly at his former team.
It was a strong goal from a "barrier blocker" - something Isak could only dream of at the moment. 4 minutes after Ekitike's goal, Virgil van Dijk's header helped Liverpool take a 2-1 lead, before Ibrahima Konate sealed the score at 3-1 right before the first half ended with another standard aerial shot.
However, Ekitike's goal was the catalyst, turning a seemingly bad night into a brilliant night for Liverpool. Two second-half goals from Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai - both assisted by Wirtz - brought an overwhelming victory for the "Red Brigade". However, even if Liverpool scored 7 or 8 more goals, Slot would find it difficult to be completely satisfied with his players' performance.
It must be admitted that Frankfurt was underwhelming, and the gap in class between the two teams is huge. Therefore, although this victory helped Liverpool end their failed streak and regain their confidence, the real test is still ahead. They will travel to Brentford's home ground in the Premier League this weekend.
However, according to Slot, the opponent's performance is not a key factor. The Dutch coach said that Frankfurt's approach to the match helped Liverpool easily deploy their signature pressing style.
"We were able to put pressure on the opponent. In recent matches, we have not been able to do that because the ball is often in the air. Today, they passed more low, and that is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our ability to control the game" - Slot shared.
