Divock Origi’s slump may have cost him a chance to play at Liverpool this season, but it’s finally over.
The 19-year-old Belgian striker, on loan at Lille for the season, has struggled mightily this season and saw each of his last 20 appearances in all competitions send him home empty-handed. No longer.
Today, Origi busted out in a big way, bagging a trio in today’s 3-0 win over Stade Rennais to end a 1,418 minute stretch of goalless play. He struck the first seven minutes before halftime when a corner scrum saw the ball end up at his feet on the left side of the box, and he volleyed it home past the crowd.
He grabbed two more in the second half before coming off in the 77th minute, and Liverpool will no doubt be pleased with his performance. Origi’s struggles clearly concerned his parent club, as they desperately needed strike help in January but wouldn’t pay the fee to break his season-long loan early. It’s likely that his poor form played a role in their decision.
They had some fun in France at Stade Rennes’s expense:
"Is your star striker suffering a soul-destroying goal drought? Don't worry, just wait until he plays Rennes!" #Origi #Barrios
— Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) March 15, 2015
Liverpool paid Lille a reported $14 million for Origi over the summer, before immediately sending him back to his old club on loan. The Reds have a strike force of Daniel Sturridge, Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini, and Ricky Lambert, but Brendan Rodgers has been forced to move winger Raheem Sterling up front for much of the new year due to injuries and poor form to the aforementioned group.