Liverpool's Decision to Sign Two Strikers Now Appears Prudent, Says Slot

According to Arne Slot, Liverpool's decision to sign two centre-forwards in the summer now seems like a wise move, as he expressed his support for Hugo Ekitike to recover from his injury and come back stronger. Ekitike will miss the remainder of the season and the World Cup due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. The injury's timing is unfortunate, as Alexander Isak has just returned from a long-term layoff. Slot stated, "It's devastating for him, coming to a new club and having an impact. My first thoughts are with him being out for such a long time and missing out on special moments. He's not the first or last to experience this. There are so many examples of players that came back even stronger - that's his challenge." Slot also mentioned that having two No 9s has proven to be a smart decision, as it provides the team with more options. Liverpool's focus is on securing Champions League football, starting with the upcoming Merseyside derby against Everton. Despite the 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Slot believes the team's performance points to a positive future. He said, "We were able to have more ball possession, to generate 21 shots, to have a high xG against a team that is used to dominating ball possession. Even if you take into account that Hugo had to go off after 30 minutes, Alex had to go off at half-time. If you would see them playing over 90 minutes in their best shape, then this team has already shown, as they did in so many other moments, that they can compete with the best teams in Europe."