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Liverpool face Champions League choice on who to lead the line against Galatasaray
Liverpool head into Matchday Two of their Champions League campaign, having the unusual feeling of coming into the game off the back of a domestic defeat.
The Reds suffered their first setback of the season as they succumbed to a last-minute Crystal Palace winner at the weekend, and now face the difficult away trip to face Galatasaray.
It's a game that is renowned for its hostile atmosphere, but the Turkish side also boasts some big names such as Victor Osimhen and Ilkay Gundogan, who will be looking to bounce back from their disastrous opening fixture when they were thrashed 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt.
For Arne Slot, however, his biggest call might be who he chooses to lead Liverpool's attack, with both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitke pushing to start.
When you spend £125 million on a shiny new striker, the decision of who should actually start Tuesday's game is a bit of a no-brainer - no disrespect to Liverpool's number 22.
Yet, the summer's cat-and-mouse game with Newcastle over signing Isak hasn't made the Swede's move to Merseyside the smoothest transition, as he failed to partake in a proper pre-season with either side.
He has already got off the mark for his new club, scoring in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton last week, but it's clear from his performances in the Premier League that the 26-year-old is still lacking some match sharpness.
However, Liverpool boss Slot may see Tuesday's trip to Istanbul as another opportunity to get Isak some minutes under his belt, in a game the Premier League champions will be clear favourites to win.
Having the Swede start and possibly get off the mark in the Champions League will only benefit their title defence and continue to get the striker up to speed - especially ahead of the visit from Manchester United this weekend.
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Yet, there's an argument that, given the start to his Liverpool career, Hugo Ekitike deserves to keep his chance to start in the Champions League, having given way to his striking rival in their opening game with Atletico Madrid.
The Frenchman has five goals in his first eight outings with the Merseysiders, and has impressed with how quickly he's adapted to life in England.
"Ekitike has gone to Liverpool almost under the shadow of everyone talking about Isak, but it hasn’t put him off," Former Premier League striker Brian Deane exclusively told DAZN News, courtesy of aviator real money game.
"I love both the style and the technical ability that he’s got. You need to be at a certain level to be worthy of pulling on the Liverpool shirt, and he is exactly that."
Indeed, pulling off his Liverpool shirt has been the only blot on Ekitike's copybook so far, when he was shown red for the offence against Southampton, but having the option of the 23-year-old as well as one of the Premier League's deadliest strikers is an ideal headache to have for Arne Slot.
Speaking ahead of the Champions League clash, Ekitike echoed that sentiment and even addressed the idea of the two forwards playing together, despite not sharing a minute together so far in their Anfield careers.
"I think it's good with players in such a big club," Ekitike said.
"I can't see one big club playing with only one striker, so I think it's good that he's here. Even for me at my age, I think I still have a lot of things to improve and learn, so for me it's good that he's here.
"If we can play together, that's for the coach to decide how he wants to play. That's not me.
"But obviously, it's great players. I've been playing in a two-striker composition, one striker, so I can do a lot of things. If we have to play together, I can do that."
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Whether they can play together or not, it's clear that Liverpool have two impressive options to lead their attack, and whoever starts will fancy their chances of adding to their season's tally against the Turkish side.
They also, however, offer something different to the frontline. As someone who knows all about scoring goals at the highest level - including the first-ever Premier League goal - Deane has highlighted what each player can offer the Merseysiders.
Adding, "I think Ekitike and Isak are different types of players, and what it does is give Slot some really good options.
"Ekitike is the kind of player who can play a little bit deeper than Isak. You also need to be able to threaten the space behind defenders, and Isak is that kind of player – he’s so sharp, he's great technically and he scores some unbelievable goals, so they have both options.
"Ekitike seems to me more of a natural runner rather than someone who will just face the ball up, and he will run onto things and get involved in the play deeper. Isak will allow Liverpool to play sharp balls down the side of defenders and get himself into a 1v1 situation. "
It's more than likely we'll see both get some minutes in Turkey, but the potential for the pair once Isak is up and running and the impact they can make over the course of the season is already clear to see.
Full Champions League fixture list for Matchday Two
Tuesday 30 September
- Atalanta vs Club Brugge
- Kairat vs Real Madrid
- Atletico Madrid vs Eintracht Frankfurt
- Bodø / Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur
- Chelsea vs Benfica
- Galatasaray vs Liverpool
- Inter Milan vs Slavia Prague
- Marseille vs Ajax
- Pafos vs Bayern Munich
Wednesday 1 October
- Qarabağ vs Copenhagen
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle United
- Arsenal vs Olympiakos
- Barcelona vs PSG
- Bayer Leverkusen vs PSV
- Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club
- Monaco vs Manchester City
- Napoli vs Sporting CP
- Villarreal vs Juventus
How to watch the Champions League in the U.S. on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch select matches in the Champions League in Spanish language as part of their DAZN subscription package.
Between September 25 - October 3, 2025 new customers can get a 20% discount on annual subscription.
An annual upfront payment is now $179.99 reduced from $224.99, while paying monthly for 12 months is $15.99 (down from $19.99) and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
Fans can watch extra Champions League games in Spanish on ViX. A selection of those matches are also available on UNIMÁS and TUDN.
How to watch the Champions League in New Zealand on DAZN
Every Champions League game during the 2025-26 season is streamed in high-definition and comes as part of a DAZN subscription.
An annual subscription costs $14.99 per month for 12 months and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
How to watch the Champions League in Canada on DAZN
Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, offering differing selections of sports in each. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
