Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer single out Liverpool’s new signing who looks ‘very promising’

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Liverpool survived a late Bournemouth scare to claim a 4-2 win at Anfield on the opening day of the Premier League.

Federico Chiesa saved the day for the Reds after he scored his first league goal in the 88th minute, after an Antoine Semenyo brace in the second half levelled the contest for the visitors.

The Bournemouth forward had set up a nervy ending to the Premier League opener on Friday evening, but after Chiesa restored clarity at Anfield, Mohamed Salah’s strike in stoppage time secured the three points for the champions.

After the match, captain Virgil van Dijk addressed his ongoing concerns following the Reds’ collapse from a comfortable two-goal lead, eerily similar to the Community Shield defeat against Crystal Palace.

Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo had struck in the first half in what promised to be a straightforward evening for Liverpool, and although some of the Reds players failed to cover themselves in glory, the story was very different for Ekitike.

Hugo Ekitike shines for Liverpool on his Premier League debut

When speaking on The Rest Is Football, co-hosts Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer singled out the Frenchman after other new centre forward signings around the Premier League failed to deliver.

Lineker said: “We saw Joao Pedro, not much happened for him after his glory in the Club World Cup final. We saw Gyokeres for Arsenal, he didn’t really get a kick, and Sesko came on relatively late, (so) it’s hard to judge.

“But I think the one striker, the nines, who really stood out for me in an impressive debut was Ekitike.”

Ekitike has drawn comparisons to Luis Suarez after a scintillating start to life at Anfield. He opened his account for the Reds after four minutes in the Community Shield.

Furthermore, Ryan Gravenberch dubbed Ekitike as “quality” after he scored the opening goal against Bournemouth, and with two goals from his first two starts for Liverpool, it is indeed a very promising start for the striker.

Shearer added: “Yeah, he carried on from last weekend, didn’t he, in the Community Shield. It was interesting to hear him talk after the game, in terms of him saying the physicality of the Premier League, he’s had slightly different, one minute he’s going up against a big centre half in a scrap, but I think he’s got the intelligence also to drop off like he did for his goal.

“It was a lovely run to get the ball short, then find the space in the middle and go in behind. He might have got a little bit of luck in the ricochet with the tackle, but the way he finished it off.

“And of course linking up with Gakpo, that goal as well, I think he played a large part in that with his hold-up play, the turn, and the pass, and all that. It’s a very, very promising start from him.”

Liverpool should reconsider Alexander Isak stance

Liverpool’s pursuit of Alexander Isak has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, as the Newcastle United player reportedly continues to push for a transfer to Anfield.

Of course, all Reds supporters would love to see the Swedish international at the club regardless of the potential British transfer record fee it would take to secure his services from Newcastle.

However, Ekitike is forcing the issue, and now Arne Slot is faced with a monumental decision whether Isak’s potential rival is worth the possibility of hindering the Frenchman’s development this season.

As van Dijk pointed out, there are far bigger issues that must be addressed in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, with another centre-back needed despite the recent arrival of Giovanni Leoni.

The Reds do require another centre forward, but perhaps one to act as understudy to Ekitike rather than take his place in the starting line-up. He has already proven he is more than capable of being the main man at Anfield.