EXCLUSIVE: Robbie Fowler feels Liverpool’s plans to replace Mohamed Salah began last summer with the recruitment of three attackers — fitting them all in one team is another matter, though
Robbie Fowler believes Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike can play together at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
Ex-Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler believes the Reds will look to play Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike up front together, a plan that may be accelerated when Mohamed Salah leaves the club.
Isak and Ekitike were signed collectively last summer for a combined fee that could top £200 million ($266M) but have played just 169 on-field minutes together. That is mainly due to injury, but also Arne Slot’s preference to operate in a 4-2-3-1 shape.
Incorporating both strikers into that system is difficult, although Slot has deviated at this times this campaign. Liverpool started in a 4-4-2 diamond at Inter in December, a match in which Salah, incidentally, was unavailable.
READ MORE: Liverpool legend calls for Alexander Isak caution as injury return beckonsREAD MORE: Robbie Fowler issues ‘important’ reminder to Liverpool before Mohamed Salah exit
Fowler believes the decision to sign Isak, Ekitike and Florian Wirtz last year was partly driven by future-proofing for Salah’s departure, although he added that has come sooner than most expected.
“I think the work that the club have done in terms of bringing in the players, I think that was maybe with Mo [in mind],” the 50-year-old exclusively told Liverpool.com at a Haier event at Anfield.
“I think when you are building football clubs, when you are trying to get a settled team, you’re building for the future, so I think that’s what the club did in terms of signing Ekitike and obviously Alexander Isak.”
But can the potent attackers play together? “I think they can,” replied Fowler, who was used to operating alongside a striking partner during his playing days.
Ekitike and Isak have barely played together since joining Liverpool last summer(Image: Getty Images)
“Regardless of what you or I think, the plans for the football club were going to happen in terms of them playing together. I mean, you’ve got to be realistic and say, you’re not going to pay £70 million ($93M) for a player [Ekitike] and not play him.
“So there’s obviously been that plan. With the injuries to certain players and players missing, there has also been a need for a change. There have been some big misses, but can they play together? Good players play, good players adapt.
“We’re talking about top-quality players and you put a red shirt on them, or any shirt, and you go out there and the manager tells you to do something, then you should be able do it.
“But I’m sure there’s been a think tank; there will be a room where everyone’s got together and said, ‘This is the way forward.’”
Robbie Fowler spoke exclusively to Liverpool.com at a promotional Haier event at Anfield(Image: Getty Images)
While Fowler preached caution for Isak and his imminent return from an injury absence of nearly four months, he said Ekitike’s ability to quickly adapt to the Premier League has been hugely impressive.
“He’s been outstanding,” said the former England international. “It’s been a season where a lot of the players could do better. So when you think of the standout performer, along with [Dominik] Szoboszlai, you’ve got to look at Eketike as well.
“He has come in as a player who hasn’t played in the Premier League – you normally have a period where you need to adapt. He’s probably adapted a little bit quicker.
“Can he get better? I think he can, yeah. At times, he waits for contact as opposed to getting the game fired up and that’s what we want to see at Liverpool. But he has been one of the standouts this year.”