Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, Liverpool's hope-bearing duo

LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY – Liverpool's resounding 4-1 victory over Newcastle United not only signifies their first full points after more than a month. More than that, the important win against Newcastle has made Liverpool aware of the duo Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, who have the potential to become the team's hope-bearers until the end of the season.

Arne Slot's second season as Liverpool's coach is filled with uncertainty. The journey of "The Reds" this season has started to falter with the arrival of several new players who need time to integrate into the team. In Slot's first season, he did not encounter this obstacle as he only needed to continue the foundation of the team left by Juergen Klopp.

After being prematurely eliminated from the English League Cup, Liverpool's hopes of ending the season with a championship title remain in the English League, FA Cup, and Champions League. However, a winless streak of over a month in the English League has sparked some pessimism among supporters. This challenging mission to restore confidence is what Slot and his team face when hosting Newcastle at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, on Sunday (1/2/2026) early morning WIB.

The frustration among the supporters was palpable as Newcastle started the match with great strength. "The Magpies" continued to pressure Liverpool, who were forced to defend deeply. The ominous feeling materialized in the 36th minute. Anthony Gordon put Newcastle ahead first with a close-range low shot.

It did not take long for Liverpool to respond to the goal. Five minutes later, Ekitike emerged as Liverpool's savior with his goal, capitalizing on a pull-back pass from Wirtz. Not stopping there, two minutes later, Ekitike was able to double Liverpool's lead through his individual effort. The slot, which was initially tense after conceding, suddenly brightened thanks to Ekitike's two goals that put Liverpool ahead at halftime.

"We lost concentration for just a few seconds during the goal kick. We ultimately regretted it because that was a crucial moment in the match," said Newcastle coach Eddie Howe.

As mentioned by Howe, the advantage will shelter the team entering the second half with a leading position. Liverpool extended their lead with a goal from Wirtz in the 67th minute. Ibrahima Konate, returning from his leave, completed Liverpool's advantage to 4-1 until the end of the match.

Hugo has scored many goals since the beginning of the season, and Florian has been heavily involved in creating opportunities for his teammates but has been unfortunate as the ball has not found the back of the net.

These are the first three points for Liverpool in over a month. Liverpool's last victory in the league was achieved when they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of December 2025. Not only concerning the full points, the victory over Newcastle also sparked awareness within Liverpool regarding the great potential of the duo Ekitike and Wirtz.

The collaboration between the two players has resulted in six goals across all competitions this season. This number is higher than any other player duo in the English League. Amid the challenges of integrating many new players, the maturity of the duo Ekitike and Wirtz has strengthened Liverpool's hopes of ending the season with a trophy.

"Hugo has scored many goals since the beginning of the season, and Florian has been heavily involved in creating opportunities for his teammates but has been unfortunate as the ball has not found the back of the net. It is not always possible to play them together every three days. That is what I mean when I talk about fitness without the ball and match fitness," said Slot when asked about the performance of the duo Ekitike and Wirtz.

In the past, Liverpool once had a player duo that became the team's hope in the form of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. The two formed a lethal partnership from 2007 to 2011. The baton of cooperation between these two players is now continued by Ekitike and Wirtz.

The sharpness of the combination between Wirtz and Ekitike did not immediately manifest at the beginning of the season. Wirtz initially faced difficulties adapting to the Slot system and the intense characteristics of the English League. While Wirtz started the season slowly, the same cannot be said for Ekitike, who immediately proved his sharpness.

Slowly but surely, Wirtz is starting to find his best rhythm. When Wirtz is able to play comfortably, his collaboration with Ekitike increasingly poses a threat to opposing teams.

"It takes time for them to play at their best level with the highest intensity every three days. They are getting closer (to their best level) and it is not surprising if their statistics continue to improve," said Slot. (REUTERS)