Arne Slot delighted with Hugo Ekitike 'progress' after Liverpool brace as he praises striker's growth

Ekitike took just 46 seconds to open the scoring against Brighton at Anfield. The Frenchman volleyed home an excellent opening goal to give the Reds the perfect start to the game on Saturday. Ekitike then headed home a corner from Mohamed Salah to seal all three points for the Merseysiders in a win that takes them up into sixth place in the table. Ekitike has now scored a brace in back-to-back Premier League games for Liverpool, earning big praise from his manager.

"Slot told reporters: "Just before I took him off there was a moment, I don't know what happened, but I think he hardly could walk anymore because of cramp. What I see with him and I see this with all the players we've brought in this summer, they had to adapt to the Premier League, to that intensity, because they were all young. All the players we brought in are young players, except for Alex [Isak], but all the others are very young.

"So, adapting to the Premier League, that intensity, some of them had to adapt to the Premier League and [the] Champions League. I see all of them making progress in that. So, Hugo has cramp today but I can assure you that he did probably twice as much as in games in the beginning of the season where I had to take him off with cramp as well. That is what this league brings. If you cannot be so intense for such a long time, it's so hard to win a game of football because the best players, athletes, in the world play in this league, and we are trying to prepare them more and more, better and better for that – and I can see that progress with most of our signings, maybe all of them."

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Ekitike was a happy man after the win. The striker was also part of the Liverpool team that Inter in the Champions League in midweek and admits it's been a great seven days on the pitch for the Reds.

He told reporters: "We try to stick together, work together. Even today, it wasn't easy. At the end of the game we had to stay compact, stick together, because when we are in that position it's difficult to get a result. Happy today, because I think we deserved [it]. We did a great week and let's continue. When you play for Liverpool you just have to win games. So, [it's] hard to answer. When you see the games coming, we are Liverpool [and] we need to win."

Liverpool will surely be hoping Ekitike can continue in the goals, particularly now the Reds will be without Salah for some time due to his involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. The talisman's future at the club is also in doubt following his recent criticism of the club and comments that he felt he had been "thrown under the bus by Liverpool." Saudi Pro League sides are reportedly interested in Salah, and it remains to be seen if he will play for the club again.