Liverpool's Ekitike Faces Harsh Criticism After PSG Defeat

Liverpool's night in Paris was one to forget, and Hugo Ekitike found himself at the center of the storm. The Reds managed just three shots against PSG, none of which hit the target, and their expected goals (xG) stood at a paltry 0.17. It was a performance that left fans and pundits alike shaking their heads.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor did not hold back in his criticism of Ekitike. Speaking on talkSPORT, he slammed the forward, stating, 'He didn’t turn up, he didn’t try, he was lazy.' Ekitike's first shot came in the 49th minute, a stark reminder of his lack of impact on the game.

Analyst Ian Doyle gave Ekitike a lowly 5/10 rating in the Liverpool Echo, noting, 'No faulting effort but guilty far too often of unnecessary fancy flicks and giving the ball away cheaply.' The stats back this up: he completed just 13 of 22 passes and lost possession 13 times, while winning only 4 out of 11 duels.

Ekitike has been a bright spot for Liverpool this season, netting 17 goals in his debut campaign. However, his form has dipped recently, with only two goals in his last 12 appearances. Both of those came in dominant wins, rather than games that required a decisive touch.

The pressure is on Ekitike to rediscover his form. Liverpool needs more from him, especially in tight matches like the one against PSG. The criticism from Agbonlahor may be harsh, but it reflects the urgency for the young forward to step up. Can he turn things around in the coming weeks?