StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

PUNDIT FUMES: HUGO EKITIKE SHOULD BE BACKED OVER ALEXANDER ISAK

Wayne Rooney says Alexander Isak needs "regular games" at Liverpool, while Mark Lawrenson insists Hugo Ekitike should start over the struggling £125m striker.

Pundit Fumes: Hugo Ekitike Should Be Backed Over Alexander Isak
Ekitike Backing Puts Isak In Crucial Crisis

Since moving from Newcastle United to Liverpool for a record-breaking £125m this summer, Alexander Isak hasn't been at his best. The 26-year-old striker joined Anfield on deadline day after pushing for a move from St. James' Park to the Premier League champions.

His training was already off because he spent the summer training on his own, and he's been trying to catch up ever since. His only goal for the Reds so far was in the Carabao Cup against Southampton.

Isak started his first game in a month against Nottingham Forest over the weekend, and it wasn't great. Some people want Arne Slot to drop him for Wednesday’s Champions League game against PSV.

But Wayne Rooney thinks the Sweden international needs to play consistently to get back to his best, even though he would be mad if he were Hugo Ekitike.

The new players will look at last season's players, who just won the league, and feel pressure to prove they're better, he said on The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport.

Obviously, it's a big club, but Alexander Isak just needs regular games.

He just needs a goal to get him going, and then he'll be fine. But he must be confused. It's hard when you're not scoring. You have to keep it simple.

None of the summer signings have really worked out except for Hugo Ekitike. If I were Ekitike, I'd be angry if I weren't playing.

However, former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson told talkSPORT that Reds boss Slot should drop Isak and play Ekitike: “He [Isak] isn’t fit. Ekitike should play.

How does he feel? He’s been the better striker. But how do you get players fit if they can’t play in reserve games?

“All you do is train, and if you’re only training, you’re not as good as the players who are playing.”

Lawrenson said about Slot: “He’s under pressure, but his job is safe. No doubt about it.

“You have to get the players together and make sure you’re hard to beat. Right now, we’re just letting goals in too easily.”

ANFIELD EXIT SIGNS: WHY SALAH’S FOREST FRUSTRATION SUGGESTS HIS LIVERPOOL CHAPTER IS FINALLY CLOSING

Anfield tension: Discover why Mohamed Salah was subbed for Rio Ngumoha and how his 9-game drought threatens Liverpool's top four.

top-news
Liverpool legend hits lowest point after dismal display against Nottingham Forest

Mohamed Salah just hasn’t looked like himself this season at Liverpool. Against Nottingham Forest, you could see his frustration all over his face.

Not long ago, things seemed to be turning around for him. Salah had started scoring again. In his last five games, he picked up four assists and a goal. It looked like maybe he was back.

But in the Forest game, Liverpool actually looked sharper after Salah went off and Rio Ngumoha came on. Ngumoha brought so much energy that he changed the whole vibe of the attack. Salah clearly wasn’t happy about getting subbed, even though it was the right call from Arne Slot.

Let’s be honest, who looks pleased when they get taken off? It always kicks off a load of speculation, with people watching for every tiny sign that something’s wrong, over-analysing every shrug or frown. But really, Salah just looked disappointed in his own performance and in the fact that Liverpool were still level with Forest. It probably wasn’t just about getting hooked.

Still, even with Salah’s recent improvement, it feels like his time at Anfield is winding down. It’s rare for a player to leave on a high note. The rumours about MLS and Saudi Arabia aren’t going away, and you get the sense he won’t be any different.

On BBC Five Live, Clinton Morrison didn’t hold back. He said if Salah and Liverpool keep playing like this, forget about the Champions League. “There are still some big problems there, aren’t there?” he told Rick Edwards. “Salah didn’t look happy again.”

Edwards agreed, saying, “If Liverpool play like that for the rest of the season, they’re not getting Champions League. And Salah didn’t look happy again, did he?”

Morrison pointed out how lively Ngumoha was when he came on, setting up a disallowed goal and sparking the team. “Salah didn’t do any of that at all,” he said.

Edwards pressed on, “I think there’s still a big issue there, isn’t there?”

Morrison agreed. “Yeah, well, he hasn’t scored in nine Premier League matches now. It’s his longest run without a goal. I don’t think things are harmonious behind the scenes between him and Arne Slot. We saw hints of it before Christmas, with that ‘throw me under the bus’ comment and then the apology. He looked grumpy about being subbed, but if you’re playing badly, you’re going to get subbed. That’s just how it goes.”

WHY BAYERN BELIEVE LIVERPOOL ALREADY SECURED A PERSONAL DEAL WITH YAN DIOMANDE

Football news: Diomande to Liverpool. Get the report on Leipzig’s price tag and Bayern’s secret plan for Gakpo.

top-news
Leipzig set a massive valuation on Diomande as Premier League giants circle

Bayern Munich think Yan Diomande already has a deal lined up with Liverpool for a summer move to Anfield, at least according to recent reports.

Liverpool wants Diomand,e too. They see him as the perfect long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah. Their manager, Arne Slot, and sporting director, Richard Hughes, are both on board with the idea. Fraser Fletcher from TEAMtalk broke the news back in December 2025, and he’s usually reliable.

But it won’t be cheap. Sources say RB Leipzig want at least €100 million for Diomande. The 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger only joined Leipzig from Leganes last summer, so they’re not in a rush to sell.

Bayern are definitely interested, but word out of Munich is they’re convinced Liverpool already have something agreed with the player. That info comes from Bayern Space, a well-followed and respected account on X. They’ve got 32,500 followers, and even journalists like Lewis Steele from The Daily Mail trust their updates.

Here’s where things get interesting. Bayern Space doubled down on their Diomande claims, but they also say Bayern have turned their attention to Cody Gakpo as Plan B for the left wing. Apparently, some inside the club believe Gakpo could really thrive in the Bundesliga, similar to what Luis Díaz has done. And now, some of Bayern’s board members are starting to think the Premier League club with a personal agreement for Diomande has to be Liverpool. They don’t have concrete proof, just a strong feeling based on what they’re hearing from people close to Gakpo’s camp.

The irony? If Bayern spend up to £65 million to sign Gakpo from Liverpool, they’d basically be handing Liverpool the money to buy Diomande, the very player who turned them down in the first place. That’s how quickly things can flip at the top of the transfer market. Some people at Bayern say they’d be fine with it if Gakpo delivers right away on the pitch.

But what are Liverpool’s plans for Gakpo? That’s still up for debate. Bayern Space is adamant Bayern want him, but Pete O’Rourke from Football Insider says the German club aren’t planning to go after the Dutch forward.

O’Rourke thinks Liverpool could sell Gakpo this summer, but he’s not convinced Bayern will be the buyers. He points out that last summer, Bayern had to choose between Gakpo and Díaz for the left wing; they went with Díaz, and it’s worked out great. Díaz has settled in quickly and become a key player for Vincent Kompany’s team, basically locking down that left side.

Gakpo’s versatile; he can play anywhere up front, so you can see why Bayern would keep tabs on him. But O’Rourke doesn't think he’s a top priority for them at the moment. And Liverpool aren’t desperate to sell either, especially since they’re a bit short on left-sided attackers.

If Liverpool do sign another left winger this summer, maybe that could open the door for Gakpo to leave. But he’s under contract until 2030, and, by all accounts, he’s happy at Liverpool even if he gets some criticism from fans for his performances. Arne Slot clearly rates him, since he keeps giving him game time.

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News