Arne Slot might have just unlocked a new look Liverpool strike partnership

Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike have forged a blossoming partnership in attack following their summer moves to Liverpool

After a challenging first half of the season, Liverpool are starting to see the fruits of their summer labour following their £450m transfer spending spree. Performances are not perfect, but Arne Slot’s new-look Reds side are now on an 11-game unbeaten run.

And while Liverpool are having to make do without club-record signing Alexander Isak after he fractured his leg in last month’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur, the rest of the Reds’ new arrivals who were brought in to immediately enhance Slot’s starting XI are starting to grow in importance.

Following his return from a hamstring injury against Spurs, Jeremie Frimpong has made sure to make up for lost time.

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Marking his return by setting up the winning goal for Hugo Ekitike at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he followed that up with assists in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and 2-2 draw at Fulham, before scoring his first Anfield goal in the FA Cup win over Barnsley.

On the opposing flank, Milos Kerkez has overcome a difficult start to his Reds career to nail down his starting berth with his defensive display in the 0-0 draw at Arsenal in particular earning the Hungarian praise.

But it is at the other end of the field where the growing importance is most noticeable, with Liverpool’s new-look £195m strike-partnership starting to thrive.

Ekitike was the one Reds summer signing who made an immediate impact at Anfield, returning six goals from his first 12 appearances for the club.

But then embarking on an eight-game scoring drought, and a return of one goal from 12 outings, he has reached new levels over the past six weeks.

Netting braces against Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion, goals against Tottenham and Barnsley leave him with six goals from his last seven appearances.

Liverpool’s leading goalscorer so far this season with 12 goals, he has returned more goal contributions (15) across all competitions than any other of last summer’s Premier League signings across the entire English top-flight.

But such a return is bolstered by the growing contributions of Florian Wirtz behind him. The £116m man was frequently mocked by rival supporters for his limited returns in the final third during the opening months of his Reds career, with his first Premier League goal and assist only coming either side of Christmas against Tottenham and Wolves respectively.

But the German now boasts five goal contributions from his last six matches, and is actually still Liverpool’s joint-leading assister so far this season, having laid on five goals for his team-mates.

Meanwhile, Wirtz and Ekitike both boast two assists apiece for each other, with the pair both coming off the bench to score and assist in the final 10 minutes of the Reds’ 4-1 FA Cup win over Barnsley after being introduced on the hour-mark.

The Frenchman first flicked a Curtis Jones pass into the German’s path to curl home the Reds’ third of the night, before Wirtz fired in a low cross to Ekitike to wrap up the scoring in stoppage-time.

Such a link-up follows Ekitike assisting Wirtz’s first Premier League goal against Wolves, having sprinted down the left before playing in the German with a smart through-ball.

And the £195m pair are certainly enjoying their new connection in front of goal, with both making reference to it on social media.

Both would upload pictures on Instagram, celebrating their goals with the other, while tagging their team-mate and posting a handshake emoji.

Wirtz had shared his delight that Ekitike had followed him to Liverpool back in pre-season, after both forwards made the move to Merseyside from the Bundesliga.

“He is a really good player,” he said after the Reds’ friendly win over Athletic Bilbao. “I enjoyed watching him at Frankfurt and I was really happy that he decided to come to us.

“In the training sessions already, he went well and also in the game we had some combinations that were good. I am really happy that I can play with him.”

The pair gave supporters an immediate sighter following such words, with Wirtz assisting Ekitike in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace.

But it is only now, admittedly five months on, we are seeing such evidence more and more on the pitch.

Throughout the campaign, the Liverpool camp have called for patience, especially regarding the Reds’ new signings, as Slot’s new-look side struggled at times while continuing to gel.

Even after beating Barnsley, Dominik Szoboszlai insisted more time is needed.

“I think we need a little bit more time together to get to know each other better,” he said. “From the summer on we developed a lot and all the new guys settled in very well I think. I’m happy for Flo and Hugo and all of the guys.”

But after an initial bedding-in period, Ekitike and Wirtz have formed a blossoming partnership.

And after an initial slow start, it is one that Slot will hope to have now unlocked and see continue to bear fruit for Liverpool during the second half of the season.