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Liverpool 6-0 Qarabağ – Champions League Man of the Match

Hugo Ekitike – Liverpool FC

On a night where Liverpool needed clarity, confidence, and above all control, Hugo Ekitike delivered a performance that felt both liberating and job-saving. Against a Qarabağ side brave enough to arrive at Anfield with intent, the French forward thrived in the space, movement, and rhythm that followed, producing one of his most complete displays in a Liverpool shirt and earning a deserved Man of the Match award.

From the opening exchanges, Ekitike looked sharp, switched on, and hungry. His movement was intelligent rather than frantic, drifting between centre-backs, pulling defenders out of shape, and constantly offering Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah angles to play through. This was not a striker waiting to be served, this was a forward dictating tempo in the final third.

Liverpool’s dominance was immediate, but it was Ekitike’s willingness to link play that elevated the performance from control to chaos for the visitors. His assist for Wirtz’s goal was the perfect example: awareness, timing, and composure all wrapped into a simple but devastating contribution. It allowed Wirtz to do what he does best, glide, strike, and thrill while highlighting the growing understanding between the two.

After the break, with Liverpool already in full command, Ekitike added the moment that truly defined his night. Picking up the ball with purpose, he drove directly at the backline, shrugged off the challenge, and finished with confidence and authority. It was a striker’s goal, but also a forward’s goal, one built on athleticism, bravery, and conviction. Anfield felt it. So did Qarabağ.

What stood out most was how complete his performance felt. He pressed intelligently, dropped into midfield when required, occupied defenders relentlessly, and never allowed the tempo to dip. In a team full of strong performances, Alexis Mac Allister’s control, Dominik Szoboszlai’s energy, Florian Wirtz’s elegance, Ekitike still managed to stand apart through his influence without the ball as much as with it.

This was the version of Liverpool that Arne Slot has been searching for: fluid, aggressive, and expressive. And nights like this matter. Progression into the last 16 is secured, belief is restored, and Slot’s position, for now, stabilised. But perhaps more importantly, Liverpool finally looked like a team enjoying its football again.

Ekitike was at the heart of that joy. If this performance is a sign of what’s to come, Liverpool may yet find their season turning not through caution, but through confidence.

Steven Smith’s Pre-match Prediction:

Liverpool 3-1 Qarabağ

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