Hugo Ekitike allowed himself a brief smile after Liverpool’s weekend win over Newcastle United, but the French striker was quick to ground the moment in perspective.
His two-goal display at Anfield not only propelled Liverpool to a vital victory, it also earned glowing praise from club legend Steven Gerrard, who drew a striking comparison between Ekitike and former Kop favourite Fernando Torres.
For Ekitike, the plaudits carried particular weight. Gerrard, a symbol of Liverpool’s most competitive modern era, singled out the striker’s second goal as a throwback to Torres at his devastating best.
The former captain highlighted the directness, speed and composure that defined the Spaniard’s prime years, noting how Ekitike needed only a sliver of space to finish decisively. It was the kind of endorsement that instantly captured attention across Merseyside.
“It’s Torres-like. He just gets it out of his feet and it’s that toe poke. He reminds me of Torres, this player, every time I watch him.
“He’s scoring similar types of goals, where if you give him space in the channel, he’ll run it, he’s too quick, you can’t catch him and he’s deadly.”
Asked about Gerrard’s praise, Ekitike also said: “Back in the day, I couldn’t watch the Premier League to be honest, my mum didn’t pay so I couldn’t see!
“I have watched some clips of YouTube. I will never put myself on that bracket. He was an incredible player.
“If I reach his level it would be great. I have to keep working.”
