Liverpool boss Arne Slot hopes to play Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike together this season.
Isak moved to Liverpool from Newcastle in a British record deal on Deadline Day, just over a month after Ekitike, 23, joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79million.
Concerns had been raised that Isak’s arrival would stunt Ekitike’s growth, but Slot disagreed, saying he hoped to fit both into his side this season by moving the Frenchman to the flanks.
“I consider [playing both together] because you consider many things,” he explained, speaking ahead of Saturday’s Merseyside derby.
“If both are in the best form of their life you consider it, but it is also clear we have a 4-3-3 structure and in the end phase we have played with two No9s.
“Hugo can play off the left. It's a good thing about our squad, we have multiple options, and if some aren't fit, we can use them in a 4-4-2, that depends on form and fitness.”
Isak made his Liverpool debut on Tuesday night in a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid and was replaced by Ekitike.
The Reds led Atletico 2-0 with just six minutes played, but allowed their visitors to fight back into the match, equalising through a Marcos Llorente brace.
While they went on to win after Virgil van Dijk headed home in injury time, alarm bells were ringing after Liverpool squandered a two-goal advantage for the third time this season.
Slot, though, is unconcerned, saying he appreciated his squad’s ability to recover from those setbacks.
“We have only played five, so it is difficult to see a long-term pattern.
“It is not ideal if we have two-goal leads and we lose them, so we need to improve, as many other things. But the good thing is, if we have the urgency again, we can score.
“You can run out of steam or energy at the end of the season if you mentally and physically have to go all the way to the end all the time in games, so it is good but it is never ideal to do it all the time.
“Maybe we should be more composed or calm, but I like the mentality we have.”
