Ekitike should start over Isak, says Wayne Rooney as latter not doing enough to justify his place in the starting 11.
Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney claims that British record-breaking transfer Alexander Isak isn’t performing enough to warrant playing for Liverpool ahead of Hugo Ekitike.
Isak, a 25-year-old Sweden international, cost £125 million to join the Reds from Newcastle at the beginning of September, but in seven games in all competitions, he has only scored one goal, in the League Cup.
His third consecutive Premier League start without a goal came on Sunday at Anfield in the loss to Manchester United.
Ekitike, a fellow forward who was used as a substitute against the Red Devils, has three league goals and four goals overall for Liverpool.
“I wouldn’t play Isak, he hasn’t looked ready since coming from Newcastle,” Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show.
“He hasn’t trained, hasn’t had a pre-season. It’s so important. While Newcastle were training he was probably sat at home on the phone to his agent for six hours a day trying to get a move.
“It’s so difficult when you don’t have a pre-season. He might’ve done stuff by himself but he’s paying the price of it.
“On performances, he doesn’t deserve to be playing ahead of Ekitike.”
Liverpool have not lost four straight games across all competitions until November 2014, when they were defeated by Manchester United.
Despite starting the season with seven straight victories across all competitions, Liverpool has struggled to consistently put up quality performances across whole games, despite winning the Premier League title the previous season.
“They’ve got a bit complacent,” added Rooney.
“For Arne Slot, you forget because he won the Premier League, but he’s still quite young – 46 years of age and this was the first time he’s lost four in a row in his career.
“[Against Manchester United] he was arguing with the officials on the touchline, I haven’t seen that before from him.
“We’re starting to see things unfold which shows that there’s pressure there.”