ARNE SLOT admits he is sweating on the fitness of Alexander Isak – but revealed his delight that Hugo Ekitike keeps on scoring for Liverpool.
Ekitike grabbed his first ever Champions League goal and his sixth for the Reds since his £79million move from Frankfurt.
Yet Isak, a £125m signing who refused to play for Newcastle in pre-season and has scored just once for Liverpool, once again struggled before being substituted at half-time due to an injury.
Manager Slot, whose team ended a run of four successive defeats, said: “Hugo got a big chance and scored.
“Alex got a few but unfortunately did not score and had to go off at half-time as he felt his groin a little bit which is a pity.
“I hope it’s not too serious. If he were to be out for a few weeks, that would set him back. It is such a difficult balance with a player that missed three months.
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“You go slowly with him and people might argue you cannot play him more and now we have played him for the second time in three days and he has had to go off so let’s hope for the best.
“It is not an easy balance for a player if he has not played for so long.
“Hugo has found his way for us. He has done well for us every time he plays.”
Ekitike refused to celebrate the leveller against his former club after Rasmus Kristensen put the home team ahead.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate both scored before half-time with Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai on target to complete the rout.
Ekitike said: “It was a great feeling to come back home and score. It was a special game and it was my first Champions League goal so I am really happy.
“I have so much respect for Frankfurt. They have made me the player I am.”
Reds skipper Van Dijk, whose team lost 2-1 at home to Manchester United on Sunday, said: “I don’t know if it is a statement but obviously it’s a win and something to build on.
“I have been in the football business for quite a while so there is no relief but we were quite disappointed with losing games and obviously it was a positive.
“Losing four in a row has not happened in my time so obviously it is something you have to deal with as a group. We have had to stick together.
“We must not get dragged into all the negative things going around at the moment. We just want to perform and improve.”
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