Ekitić has gone 3 games without goals or assists since being sent off, as Liverpool suffers a fourth consecutive defeat; the biggest issue is the reluctance to bench Salah.

Under Klopp, Liverpool’s struggles were visible, whereas now their prosperity is measured by this summer’s acquisitions. The Premier League champions signed multiple reinforcements this summer, with attackers like Isak, Ekitić, and Wirtz, but Slot has obviously failed to find the right combination. With Diaz leaving, Salah’s form plummeting, Isak missing preseason and the first three league games as he regains fitness, and both Ekitić and Wirtz relegated to the bench, internal conflicts have intensified.

In the eighth round of the Premier League, Liverpool lost 1-2 at home to arch-rivals Manchester United with a last-minute goal, marking their fourth straight loss across all competitions and third consecutive league defeat. Since Ekitić received a second yellow card (and thus a red) after scoring a winner against Southampton in the League Cup and celebrating by taking off his shirt, he has lost form and gradually become a substitute. Liverpool lost 1-2 to Crystal Palace with Ekitić suspended; in the Champions League 0-1 loss to Galatasaray, Ekitić started but was ineffective over 68 minutes; then in rounds 7 and 8 of the league, Liverpool suffered identical 1-2 defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United, with Ekitić coming off the bench in both games.

Ekitić, 23 years old, is a right-footed striker standing 1.90 meters tall—tall yet agile—with impressive pace and ball control. Before Liverpool’s four-match losing streak, he had scored 5 goals and assisted once in 7 games, contributing to 6 goals overall. With Isak’s arrival, Ekitić’s hot form lost him a starting spot due to positional reasons, compounded by Salah’s poor form and selfish play, which has thrown Liverpool’s attack into disarray.

In my opinion, Slot needs to show courage and make changes: bench Salah, play Ekitić and Isak as a two-striker formation, with Wirtz as the attacking midfielder in a 4-3-1-2 setup. What do you think?