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Liverpool striker Hugo Ekiti’s five goals in four games suggests he is starting to adjust to the Premier League but the head coach Arne Slott Admits that he had to put pressure on the player to reach his current level.
The 22-year-old scored in his first three appearances since transferring from Eintracht Frankfurt but the £125 million arrival alexander isaac Stole some of his glory.
His form was subsequently affected by the integration of British record signings and the team’s struggles on the pitch, resulting in him conceding three goals in his next 17 matches.
But Isak has been sidelined for several months now mohammed salah in the Africa Cup of Nations, but there is a big responsibility France international.
And continued work on his adaptation to English football, particularly from a physicality point of view, is paying dividends in his current purple patch – although Slott says the player had to be persuaded it was in his best interests.
“He has worked very hard to reach the fitness level where he is at the moment,” said the Dutchman.
“Sometimes it took us – me – a little while to explain that it took all this to become really strong, but he always did it, not always with a smile on his face, but he worked really hard to get fit on and off the pitch.
“I’ve also tried to explain to him, the better you defend a set-piece, the bigger chance you have at the other end to score, because it’s easier to score a goal if you’re 0-0 down than if you’re 1-0 down.
“It may sound strange but that’s what happens with the energy level of the other team. For us and for him to score goals, it is important that we do not concede goals from set-pieces.
“He is ready to go to the program we are facing now but he is not the only number nine I have. Federico Chiesa can play in that position as well.”
Bottom side Liverpool are on a six-match unbeaten run at home to Wolves (four wins, two draws) and appear to have turned a corner after losing nine of 12.
However, Slott did not feel that those two runs made much of a difference in performance.
“The main thing that has changed is that, apart from the second half against Brighton (a 2–0 win on 13 December), we have not missed as many chances as we have in the past,” he said.
“I also think we’ve been a little more fortunate than in previous games because we’ve played games where we were much better than other teams.
“In the last game against Spurs (a 2-1 win last Saturday) I don’t think we had many chances against them and against Brighton it was the same, and those two games we won.
“There have been times when we have been so unlucky in terms of results, almost every time, but in the last two games I wouldn’t say we didn’t deserve it, but they were more even games than a lot of other games we have played in which we lost.”