Liverpool advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 victory over Southampton at Anfield, but the post-match conversation was dominated by Hugo Ekitike’s late dismissal.
The French forward had been introduced at half-time in place of Alexander Isak and looked to have stolen the headlines with a decisive 85th-minute strike. Yet within seconds of tapping home the winner, he celebrated by removing his shirt in front of the Kop. Already booked for time-wasting earlier in the contest, referee Thomas Bramall produced a second yellow card and sent the striker off.
It means Ekitike will now miss Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday, leaving Arne Slot with a selection headache. The Dutchman admitted Isak is still not fit enough to play a full 90 minutes, while Ekitike’s suspension removes another key attacking option.
Slot did not attempt to defend his player. In fact, his assessment of the incident was brutally honest.
“The first one (yellow card) was already needless and, to a certain extent, stupid because you have to control your emotions,” Slot said. “I know how hard it is if you play in the Premier League and you are a number nine, then the defender can almost do everything he wants, and when you push him a little bit you get a free-kick against you.
“But it is always best to control your emotions. If you can’t, then do it in a way that doesn’t lead to a yellow card. I said when I got my red card against Everton that it was stupid, because you can show your emotions but if it leads to a yellow or a red, then it’s, to a certain extent, stupid.”
Slot went further, explaining the difference between justifiable passion and needless indulgence.
“I told him that if you score in a Champions League final in the 87th minute after beating three players and hitting it in the top corner, I can maybe understand you saying ‘it’s all about me’,” the manager continued. “But I’m old fashioned, I’m 47, I’m old, and I haven’t played at this level, but I did score a few goals. If I scored a goal like this, I would have turned around and walked up to Federico Chiesa and said, ‘this goal is all about you, this is not about me.’
“So yeah, needless, not smart. You call it stupid and I call it stupid.”
The dismissal was entirely avoidable, particularly for a player who has made such a bright start to his Liverpool career. Ekitike has three goals in five Premier League starts to date, and his instinctive finish against Southampton was his fifth in all competitions since arriving at Anfield.
Yet what should have been a night to underline his growing importance instead leaves him suspended, frustrating both his manager and his team-mates. Several of them were seen remonstrating with the striker on the pitch immediately after his red card, recognising the unnecessary pressure his actions placed on the team in the closing minutes.
Liverpool, to their credit, dug in to protect their lead and secure progression. But Slot’s post-match words made clear the disappointment felt inside the dressing room.
“Needless, not smart, stupid,” he repeated. “That’s all it was.”
For Ekitike, the lesson is an obvious one. Passionate celebrations may be part of football, but at this level, costly lapses in discipline can undo hard work in an instant.
