Reasons for optimism

Our mini resurgence continued yesterday then, with a 2-0 win at Anfield against a misfiring Brighton.

Given we took the lead after 50 seconds, there’s really nowhere else to start but with the goal scorer and shining light of our new signing, Hugo Ekitike. A poor clearance from Brighton was met by a brave header from Gomez (who now has two assists in three games from RB) and Hugo took a brilliant first touch before volleying the ball past th helpless keeper and it was the same player who rose the highest to head home our second, after an excellent Mo Salah corner and that was enough to secure the three points.

It’s not just the goals of Ekitike though, there’s so much to like about his all round game. Unlike Isak who plays on the periphery of games, hoping for good service to present opportunities, Ekitike was everywhere. A number of times he picked the ball up near the halfway line an de in be forward, reminiscent of the way Diaz would carry the ball up the pitch. He dribbles past players to create his own opportunities and puts a real shift in for the team. Head and shoulders McMOTM yesterday and for me, he needs to be one of the first names on the team sheet right now. Isak arrived for more money and with a bigger reputation but he’s done nothing in a red shirt up to now and needs to earn it before he gets the nod ahead of Hugo, who is a superstar in the making.

Elsewhere Curtis Jones was excellent once again and another deserving of more minutes and I thought Gravenberch looked more like the player we saw last season. Shoutout to Kerkez as well, a player I’ve been critical of this season but he played well yesterday.

We still lack control of games and conceded a number of big chances yesterday, in a game that could just as easily have finished 5-5 as 2-0 but you don’t go from being as atrocious as we’ve been in recent weeks, to being world beaters after one or two games, so there’s definitely reasons for optimism after yesterday and our midweek win against Inter.

Spurs next then and I actually think we’ll win that one comfortably, as Spurs are a poor side who will come to play and that suits us down to the ground.

As for the Egyptian elephant in the room, I refuse to give him any more air time than he’s already had. He’s off to AFCON now and we’ll see what happens while he’s away but if rumours of a £100 million incoming bid from Saudi are true, we should bite their hand off for it.

All in all though, a good weekend’s work. Walk on!