Hugo Ekitiqué expressed humble feelings after Steven Gerrard, Liverpool's former captain, praised his finishing style as similar to Fernando Torres following the match in which he scored twice against Newcastle.
On 1 Feb 2026 GMT+7, 23-year-old Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitiqué spoke modestly after receiving praise from Steven Gerrard, the club's legendary former captain, who compared his playing style to that of Fernando Torres, a former fan-favorite striker for the Reds.
Ekitiqué delivered an outstanding performance in the Premier League game where Liverpool beat Newcastle 4-1 at home, scoring two goals. His second goal especially showcased his speed and sharpness as he exploited space in defense before deftly slotting the ball past Nick Pope.
After the match, Gerrard, acting as an analyst for TNT Sports, praised him by saying,
"He’s just like Torres. He simply flicks the ball with his foot, and every time I watch him play, it reminds me of Torres."
However, when asked about the comparison to Torres, Ekitiqué replied humbly,
“I never thought of putting myself on the same level as him. He was a truly great player.”
“I hardly even watched the Premier League before because I couldn’t. I only saw clips on YouTube, but I knew he was an incredible striker. If I can reach that level, it would be great, and I must keep working hard.”
Additionally, Ekitiqué emphasized that he has no fixed goal target this season, stating,
“Of course, I want to score many goals and be the team’s top scorer, but I don’t focus on the numbers. I just want to help the team win and be as involved in the game as possible, including assisting my teammates.”
He also commented on the team's performance,
“Tonight was about teamwork. Everyone ran and fought throughout the match. We were full of confidence and showed great team spirit.”
Fernando Torres is considered one of Liverpool’s great strikers, having scored 65 goals in 102 appearances across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Ekitiqué, who transferred from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69 million, has already scored 15 goals in all competitions this season and is emerging as a key attacker amid increased expectations following Alexander Isak’s long-term injury.
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