Liverpool To Test Explosive Two Striker System With Hugo Ekitike And Alexander Isak After International Break

Liverpool’s season just got a jolt. Fans and pundits have been guessing how Arne Slot will squeeze a raft of summer signings into one starting eleven. Recent inside scoops suggest the manager will test a bold formation after the international break that would start both Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak together up front. That possibility changes the questions around Liverpool’s identity this season from who scores the goals to how quickly the club can make two very different No. 9s complement each other on the pitch.

Why Liverpool Is Even Considering A Two Striker System

Summer recruitment left Liverpool with an embarrassment of attacking options. A heavy investment in forwards means selection headaches and tactical opportunities in equal measure. 

Hugo Ekitiké arrived after a prolific spell in Germany, while Alexander Isak arrived in a British record move that dominated headlines. Those signings alone—and the depth behind them—force the coach to think beyond the single-striker template that dominated the Premier League in recent years.

Liverpool’s squad profile now includes players who can operate through the middle on different planes. Isak brings a physical presence and hold-up skill set that drags defenders out of position; Ekitiké offers movement, pressing intensity, and a link-play trait that thrives off quick overloads in the final third. 

Deploying both could unlock space for wide creators and central midfield runners. Coaches at elite level often tinker with personnel in low-pressure cup or friendly matches; the international break test would serve that exact purpose.

What The Formation Would Look Like And Why It Could Work

A realistic interpretation of the reported plan is a 4-4-2 or a fluid 4-2-2-2, where the two strikers rotate intelligently, dragging markers with them and creating lanes for inside forwards and wing-backs. 

This shape would keep Mohamed Salah and the rest of the wide offensive corps active while allowing the two central forwards to occupy different zones. Slot’s player rotation philosophy suggests he prefers systems that create multiple passing lanes rather than static target-man setups. Crucially, this system opens the door for Florian Wirtz to slot in behind the front two as an attacking midfielder or No 10, thereby forming a highly mobile front three: Isak, Ekitiké and Wirtz. 

Wirtz’s arrival from Germany with big expectations means Liverpool could gain an extra dimension between midfield and attack, with his ability to drive forward, find pockets, and link with the two strikers. If Wirtz drops into the half spaces behind the strikers, Isak can spearhead the attack from one channel and Ekitiké the other, offering variety and unpredictability.

What Liverpool’s Current Slump And Individual Forms Reveal

Liverpool are not entering this tactical experiment from a position of unqualified strength. The club’s form has been patchy, raising questions about whether changes are overdue. 

Liverpool have lost 4 of their last 5 Premier League games, including a recent 3-0 thumping against Manchester City. After spending almost 500m in the summer, lots of questions are being raised. 

Both Isak and Wirtz have had rough starts. Isak, despite the record transfer fee, has struggled to find his rhythm — one goal in seven games being the headline for his early performance.

Wirtz has yet to score or assist in his initial Premier League outings, drawing criticism that he’s being shoehorned into roles unsuited to him. Meanwhile, Ekitiké has started brightly, scoring and assisting early on, which gives him the edge in this emerging hierarchy.

That combination of underperformance from some new signings and early promise from one offers Liverpool a real chance: the relative freshness of Ekitiké, the potential of Wirtz and the quality of Isak might all combine under the right system.

 The double-striker formation is not simply about adding another body; it may be the test Liverpool need to reignite their season. If Slot can harness Ekitiké’s upward trajectory, Isak’s latent potential, and Wirtz’s creative spark together, then the formation trial will feel more like strategy than experimentation.

Tactical Risks And How Slot Might Mitigate Them

Playing two natural strikers together introduces risks. Space between the lines can be lost if the pair stay centrally narrow. 

Opposition teams will target the channel between defence and midfield and force transitions where Liverpool could be exposed. Additionally, chemistry between attackers rarely appears overnight. Isak and Ekitiké have different instinctive tendencies: one likes to drop, the other likes to break in behind. Without role refinement, they may clash or duplicate movements.

Slot can mitigate these issues by refining role definitions: one forward drops slightly deeper to link play and draw markers, the other occupies the last defender or drifts wide. Meanwhile, Wirtz functioning behind them needs time and a clear brief: he must connect midfield to attack, exploit half-spaces, and provide the vertical pass or run. 

Training sessions focusing on pressing triggers, spacin,g and vertical passing will be crucial during the international pause. A managed introduction in domestic cups or substitutions will accelerate the partnership while reducing match risk.

What This Means For Liverpool Fans And The Premier League Race

Liverpool testing a two-striker option signals intent. The club is not hiding behind a single approach anymore. The depth up top is now an asset rather than a headache if managed correctly. Fans should expect the manager to rotate and tinker. 

Early signs from training talk and Ekitiké’s own public comments have been positive about the competition and partnership. That attitude matters. Players who welcome competition make transitions easier.

For the wider Premier League, opponents will take notice. Coaches across the league will prepare plans to stop the two-striker press and find ways to exploit the spaces left by overlapping full-backs. 

Furthermore, Liverpool’s attack now has the option of directness (Isak) and movement/pressing (Ekitiké) plus a creative number behind (Wirtz). If this front three hits form, Liverpool may become harder to prepare for, especially when the season reaches its crucial phase.

Essentially, Liverpool just made their selection problems into strategic opportunities. They are turning heavy summer spending into a tactical card rather than a headache. The question remains: how quickly can they unlock it before the league and Champions League demand peak performance?