Arne Slot has explained why Hugo Ekitike dropped out of the starting lineup against Bournemouth, and supporters will be thankful it is not due to a fitness issue.
There was an anticipation that Slot would name an unchanged lineup after the 3-0 win at Marseille in midweek, but instead Cody Gakpo replaced Ekitike as the only change.
The Frenchman has started back-to-back games after returning from injury off the bench against Barnsley, and that fitness issue Slot explained was due to his playing load.
With Alexander Isak still sidelined, Slot opted to be preemptive when he named his lineup for the trip to Bournemouth.
“Yeah, my thinking is quite simple,” he told Sky Sports of his team selection. “We have one number nine available with months to go.
“We’ve played a lot of games already, and a lot of games to play. So we have to manage his minutes to keep him available, also for the long term.
“And that’s why Hugo is not starting today, but Cody is.”
Since Isak’s injury at Tottenham, Ekitike has played a total of 375 minutes across five appearances, while also missing two matches due to a minor hamstring issue caused by fatigue.
With the Swede not anticipated to be back until late March and no reinforcements due in the January transfer window, Ekitike will continue to be relied upon heavily.
The trip to Bournemouth is the first game of six in the space of 21 days for Liverpool, which heightens the importance of bypassing the two-legged Champions League playoff round in February.
