There’s a renewed feel-good feeling around Liverpool as they head to Manchester City. Back-to-back wins—2-0 over Aston Villa and 1-0 at Real Madrid—have lifted the mood. The reigning league champions are up to third, though they still trail Arsenal by seven points. Confidence is back. Sunday at the Etihad is the next hard check. Arne Slot’s side looks sharper after a run of six defeats in seven. The press is cleaner. The ball moves quicker. One focus now sits at centre stage: Hugo Ekitike’s next step. The £79million forward leads the club with six goals across all competitions. Hugo Ekitike touch, link play and finishing have stood out. Slot wants one more layer.
Liverpool vs Manchester City preview: mood and stakes
These two have pushed each other for almost a decade. The Villa win steadied Liverpool; the Madrid result confirmed the uptick. The Etihad demands control in both boxes and ruthless detail on restarts. With belief restored, small things—first contacts, second balls, set-piece timing—will decide whether the bounce holds.
Slot will ask for tempo and discipline. Keep passes forward. Compress space. Protect the middle. Then break with care. It is simple on paper and hard in practice against Pep Guardiola’s team.
Hugo Ekitike aerial duels: Slot’s challenge
Ekitike’s skill set is clear. A near-perfect first touch. Smooth combinations. Clean finishing. Slot praised those strengths, then set the bar a little higher. “That is what makes him special, if you’re that tall and your footwork is as good as his,” he said. The follow-up was the demand: “He needs to be stronger in duels.”
The data backs the ask. According to FotMob, Ekitike has contested 11 Premier League aerial duels and won 37.9% of them. For a 6ft 3in striker, even a modest jump matters—holding long balls, flicking on clearances, attacking set-pieces, and shielding the first pass to let midfield step up.
How Ekitike’s game shapes the Etihad plan
Man City squeeze high. Liverpool will need an outlet who can take hits and keep the ball. If Ekitike wins more first contacts, Liverpool can climb the pitch and play in the right areas. It also changes set-piece value. One extra duel won can mean a shot, or a second-phase chance, or a foul that relieves pressure.
His feet already stretch defences. Add aerial presence and the forward line becomes harder to pin. That blend helps wide players attack the space and gives midfield a cleaner picture to play through the thirds.
Hugo Ekitike vs Manchester City: the brief
The task is clear and measurable. Match City’s intensity. Be tidy with the ball. Win a few more duels in the air. Liverpool’s recent step forward is real, but the Etihad is a higher bar. The champions can narrow the gap with sharp details and strong restarts.
Editorial verdict: the mood is up and the football is tidier. If Ekitike nudges his aerial numbers while keeping his on-ball quality, Liverpool give themselves a platform to push City deeper and keep the title fight alive.
