How many matches will Ekitike miss? Explanation of Liverpool star's suspension after red card

The celebration after Hugo Ekitike's goal swiftly turned into a nightmare when the forward was shown a red card and faced a suspension, adding to Liverpool's worries.

During the Carabao Cup match, Liverpool secured a 2-1 victory over Southampton thanks to a late goal from Hugo Ekitike. The goal helped coach Arne Slot's team advance to the fourth round of the tournament. However, the joy was short-lived as Ekitike was sent off immediately after the celebration. The French player took off his shirt, received a second yellow card, and was promptly dismissed from the field.

According to regulations, suspensions due to a direct red card or a second yellow card apply across all domestic competitions, not just the Carabao Cup. This means Ekitike will miss Liverpool’s next Premier League match, an away game against Crystal Palace this weekend. This is considered a significant loss for the league leaders striving to maintain a perfect start to the season.

Coach Arne Slot expressed surprise at both the decision and the player's actions. “I really don’t understand. If you score after a solo effort, you might want to celebrate wildly, but at that moment Ekitike just needed to share the moment with his teammates. Taking off his shirt to get a second yellow card was extremely foolish.”He also emphasized that such incidents can severely disadvantage the team.

The British media did not hide their criticism of Ekitike. The website Liverpool.com commented that it was a “stupid and unnecessary moment”, especially since even his teammates seemed annoyed by how he got himself into trouble. Ekitike’s absence next weekend may force Coach Slot to rotate the squad more, particularly as Liverpool is carefully managing the playing time of other forwards, notably Alexander Isak.

Although this suspension only causes Ekitike to miss one Premier League game, it serves as an important reminder for the young player about discipline on the pitch. He may return for the Carabao Cup fourth round next month, but for now, Liverpool must find a way to fill the gap in attack for the trip to Crystal Palace.

The red card for a foolish celebration made Ekitike the focus of criticism and added pressure on Liverpool’s quest to conquer both the Premier League and the Carabao Cup this season.

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