Liverpool’s summer signing Hugo Ekitike made an unforgettable start to life at Anfield as he scored on his Premier League debut against Bournemouth, while also paying a heartfelt tribute to the late Diogo Jota.
The £70 million striker, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt, opened the scoring after a clever link-up with Alexis Mac Allister, calmly finishing inside the box to give the defending champions the lead. His celebration quickly touched the hearts of the Liverpool faithful—Ekitike raised his hands to form the number 20, a gesture in memory of Jota, who tragically passed away in July following a car accident.
The match was already an emotional occasion, with Anfield observing a minute’s silence before kick-off and a standing ovation in the 20th minute in Jota’s honor. Ekitike’s tribute symbolized his deep embrace of the Liverpool spirit and quickly established a bond with the supporters.
Ekitike was not just about the emotional moment—his performance throughout Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Bournemouth underlined his immense talent. His energy and movement unsettled the visitors’ defense, while his sharp passing set up Cody Gakpo for Liverpool’s second goal. Even with defensive concerns, the Reds found late goals through Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah to seal the victory.
Liverpool’s squad underwent major changes this summer with the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz. Manager Arne Slot handed debuts to Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, making Liverpool the first defending English champions to start four debutants in a season opener since the inception of the Premier League.
Despite Antoine Semenyo’s double for Bournemouth, Liverpool’s attacking firepower proved too strong. Chiesa’s 88th-minute strike and Salah’s stoppage-time finish gave the Reds the perfect start to their title defense.
Elsewhere, Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders made headlines with a goal and assist in their 4-0 win over Wolves. Manchester United, despite a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, saw promising performances from new arrivals Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo.
For Liverpool, Ekitike’s early impact may influence the club’s transfer strategy, with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak still linked to Anfield. But with the Frenchman already scoring in the Community Shield and on his league debut, he has given Slot every reason to consider him Liverpool’s first-choice striker moving forward.
