Move over Mo Salah: Liverpool have a NEW world-class star on the horizon

The Reds have always been a side littered with talent, and it's steadily fluctuated over the years.

Last season, it was safe that say that Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker were the 'world-class' stars in the side, backed up by great players like Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo.

However, the dynamic shifted a little bit when last season ended, with the summer transfer window bearing different world class options for Arne Slot to utilise. It's been a struggle to embed them all.

With regard to the forwards specifically, each of them have had their moment in the spotlight - some for longer than others - and it's imperative that Salah is sufficiently replaced during his time away at AFCON with Egypt. With the Brighton game now in the rear-view mirror, he's officially on his travels.

Before the season began, Alexander Isak might've been favoured to take on the responsibility, but it appears as though a different Liverpool attacker will carry the team on his back while Salah's gone.

Ekitike - a man reborn in recent weeks

23-year-old striker Hugo Ekitike's arrival for £79m was quickly overshadowed by Isak's £130m move, but the situation on the pitch couldn't be more different. The Swede has struggled to make an impact.

Whereas, the fans' initial concerns about the Frenchman couldn't have been more out of place. The raw talent he displayed at Eintracht Frankfurt has already started to shine through working with Slot.

In his opening three games for the club - including the Community Shield - he scored three goals and notched an assist. His next three games were goal-less, but then he got on the scoresheet in back-to-back games.

Prior to the Reds' visit to Leeds, he had scored just once since September. He'd gone under the radar and concerns were starting to creep in once again. But in a flash, he's turned things around.

Against Leeds, Ekitike scored a brace and just two games later, he did the same against Brighton.

That's now four goals in three games, a patch of form similar to his start the season, and he's got 10 goals and an assist to show for his efforts, a really admirable return for a young striker by December.

In comparison, Isak has played just over half of Ekitike's minutes and only got three goals and assists.

The ex-Newcastle star had previously been brandished the 'world-class' tag, and while he's still got bounced of ability still to reveal across the remainder of his time at Liverpool (it's only his first season), it's clear that Ekitike has taken his chances more regularly - he's our best striker, no doubt.

And this run of form is particularly timely, with Salah's departure. The Egyptian played really well when he came on against Brighton - going on to assist Ekitike for his second goal, which wrapped up the game in Liverpool's favour - but it was the Frenchman's early goal that set the tone. And what we've learnt from Salah's absence is that Slot can manage without his star right-winger at times.

Now that the dreaded moment has arrived, it's imperative that Ekitike continues his prolific streak. If he can, and everyone else chips in, then Liverpool will be able to coast through the next six weeks.

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