What Hugo Ekitike picked as his ‘best memory so far’ at Liverpool might surprise Reds fans

Hugo Ekitike has revealed that his favourite moment of a prolific first season on Merseyside is not a headline-grabbing derby strike or a last-gasp winner, but the solitary goal he scored in Liverpool’s Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace – the very first of his 16 for the club.

The 23-year-old French striker, signed from Eintracht Frankfurt last July for £79 million, opened his account with a low finish from the edge of the box at Wembley on his competitive debut. Speaking to Owen Hargreaves on TNT Sports’ The Breakdown, Ekitike admitted the speed of the occasion made it unforgettable.

“I’m not going to lie, that was the first game that in my head everything was going so fast,” he said. “I knew I had defenders behind me, but I knew I could do things quicker than them and it worked. Obviously, first game, at Wembley – I think it’s the biggest stadium I’ve ever been to. Everything was so big. I couldn’t hear anything when I scored. It’s such a good memory, I think that’s my best memory so far.”

The strike ultimately counted for little as Liverpool lost on penalties, and the curtain-raiser is often eclipsed once league and European battles commence. Yet for Ekitike, netting in front of 80,000 supporters eased the pressure of a high-profile transfer and set the tone for a debut campaign that has produced goals against Bournemouth on his Anfield league debut, a memorable return to Frankfurt in a 5-1 rout, and a 46-second effort versus Brighton in December.

With no definitive match-winning moment against a direct rival to point to, the Frenchman’s choice underlines the personal significance of that August afternoon. Consistency has been his hallmark during a difficult season for the squad, prompting Gabriel Agbonlahor to label him “the best striker in the Premier League on form” in February.

Liverpool will hope the reliable stream of goals continues and that Ekitike can soon add the type of dramatic, late strikes that once defined Divock Origi’s Anfield legacy.