A foolish red card, Ekitike was criticized by Liverpool players immediately after the match

Liverpool players expressed their warnings to Ekitike after his careless red card during the match with Southampton.

Liverpool secured progression to the third round of the English League Cup with a 2-1 victory over Southampton, but the joy at Anfield was overshadowed as Hugo Ekitike became the center of attention due to an unnecessary red card. The £79 million signing left his mark with the decisive goal but then put the team in difficulty due to a thoughtless celebration.

On the pitch, teammate Jeremie Frimpong showed anger when he saw Ekitike take off his shirt, while coach Slot displayed clear disappointment, even refusing to look at the player as he left the field.

After the match, Andrew Robertson spoke out with a reminder: “Those were two foolish yellow cards. One for kicking the ball away, another for taking off his shirt in celebration. Of course, scoring brings emotion, but he had to remember he was already booked. He’s young and will learn from this mistake. Hopefully, he will never repeat it.”

The red card means Ekitike will be suspended for the next Premier League match, where Liverpool will visit Crystal Palace, the only other unbeaten team besides Liverpool. This is certainly a big loss for coach Slot, as Ekitike had scored 5 goals and provided 1 assist in just 8 games, becoming an inspiration in attack.

Coach Arne Slot chose to start Ekitike on the bench, giving Alexander Isak the starting role. The Swedish striker scored the opening goal just before halftime, marking his first goal since transferring from Newcastle.

However, the balance was restored in the 76th minute when Shea Charles equalized for the visitors. With Liverpool struggling, Ekitike was brought on and quickly proved his worth by scoring the winning goal.

Yet, the French striker’s moment of joy quickly turned into disaster. He took off his shirt in celebration, forgetting that he had already received a yellow card earlier for kicking the ball in frustration.

The referee did not hesitate to show the second yellow card, which meant Ekitike was sent off. In the final minutes, Liverpool had to play with 10 men and only managed to hold the score through defensive concentration.

Ekitike’s absence might force Slot to rely on Isak. The Swedish striker has already scored in the League Cup but his fitness remains uncertain after a long period of individual training during the summer. Slot initially planned to carefully manage Isak’s playing time, but now he likely has limited options.

The win against Southampton allows Liverpool to continue their League Cup journey, but Ekitike’s silly red card serves as a warning for a team that is gradually stabilizing. For Slot, the real challenge will come this weekend when he must find a way to fill the gap left by Ekitike in the crucial match against Crystal Palace.