Hugo Ekitike delivered on his own pre-match prophecy as Liverpool edged Southampton 2-1 in a dramatic Carabao Cup third-round clash at Anfield on Tuesday.
The French striker, who joined the Reds from PSG, came off the bench with the hosts leading thanks to Alexander Isak’s first goal for the club. His impact was immediate, as Southampton briefly equalised through Shea Charles before Ekitike tapped in a late winner. The celebration, however, was short-lived Ekitike was shown a second yellow card for removing his shirt, meaning he would miss Liverpool’s next fixture.
Southampton manager Will Still, who previously coached Ekitike during his time at Reims, revealed that the striker had predicted exactly how he would influence the game.
“Hugo cracks me up,” Still said of his former player. “We caught up before the game and he said he would come on and score and give me his shirt and bugger off!”
Still reflected on Ekitike’s rise and confidence, noting the talent the striker displayed even at a young age.
“We sold him to PSG for 50m (euros) so we knew he had a lot about him. He is a constant threat and incredibly annoying to play against,” Still said.
The Carabao Cup tie was a rollercoaster for Southampton, who have struggled to find consistency since their relegation from the Premier League last season. After Isak’s opener for Liverpool, Still’s side responded strongly, showing organisation and attacking threat, with Shea Charles pulling them level. Yet, the game turned once more as Ekitike fulfilled his promise.
“I think we are going in the right direction and tonight was progress. It is just a shame we have made basic and avoidable mistakes, which overshadows a lot of the good things we did in the first half,” Still reflected.
He continued, analysing the key moments that defined the game:
“Our organisation, our threat, we showed a bit of personality. We had a massive chance, hit the crossbar, somehow not get the ball in the back of the net and 30-40 seconds later they have gone up the other end and we have put it in on a plate for them. It sums up our season so far. We seem to keep shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Still’s assessment was frank but measured, highlighting the positives while stressing the work still required.
“But I am happy with the collective, happy with a lot of players, but there is no denying we need to eradicate those mistakes we are making,” he added.
For Liverpool, Ekitike’s cameo was a reminder of his cheek, talent, and capacity to influence games. For Still and Southampton, it was a familiar story of narrow margins and missed opportunities a lesson in resilience and a prompt for continued development in the Championship.
