I joined serial winners in '87 it was easier to settle in

HOUGHTON THOUGHT REDS NEW BOYS WOULD TAKE TIME TO SETTLE IN - BUT EXPECTS THEIR QUALITY TO EVENTUALLY SHINE THROUGH

- By THEO SQUIRES ECHO reporter

FORMER Liverpool midfielder Ray Houghton believes it will take some time for Liverpool's new-look side to fully gel.

Scoring 31 goals from 18 games in all competitions, Liverpool have also shipped 27 goals. Down in eighth in the Premier League, and trailing league-leaders Arsenal by eight points, despite spending a record-breaking £450million in the summer transfer window, such an outlay has inevitably been used as a stick to beat the Reds with during what has already been a flailing title defence.

Arne Slot did strengthen at both ends of the field, with Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni and Milos Kerkez coming in to bolster his defensive ranks.

Meanwhile, Liverpool spent £320m to revamp their attack by signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak and breaking the British transfer record twice in the process.

But while Ekitike has been an instant success at Anfield, the rest of his fellow new recruits have struggled to justify their hefty fees during the formative months of their Reds careers.

The scrutiny on Isak and Wirtz in particular is intense, given their lofty transfer fees. And boasting just one Premier League goal contribution between them from Liverpool's 11 league matches to date.

In contrast, Ekitike is the Reds’ leading goalscorer with six goals, while no Liverpool forward boasts more than three assists.

But while the Reds’ new-look attack might be yet to click back on Merseyside, the individuals themselves have at least flourished in more familiar surroundings during another international break with Wirtz registered two stunning assists and Ekitike scored his first goal for France with an equally eye-catching individual strike against Ukraine.