Ekitike Apologizes After Red Card as Liverpool Edge Southampton in League Cup

Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike has apologized to fans after being sent off for his goal celebration in Tuesday night’s dramatic 2-1 League Cup victory over Southampton at Anfield.

The 23-year-old Frenchman scored the winner in the 85th minute but was immediately dismissed for removing his shirt, earning a second yellow card and leaving Liverpool to finish the match with ten men.

Ekitike, a £69m summer signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, came off the bench at half-time to replace Alexander Isak, who had earlier opened his Liverpool account. The substitution proved decisive, as Ekitike’s late strike secured the Reds’ place in the fourth round of the competition and continued their strong start to the season.

The first booking of his Liverpool career had come just minutes after coming on when he punched the ball away in frustration over a refereeing decision. His second, for the shirt-removal celebration, left manager Arne Slot fuming on the touchline.

Referee Thomas Bramall had no choice but to show him a red card under the rules, meaning Ekitike will now be suspended for Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Taking to Instagram after the match, a visibly remorseful Ekitike admitted he had allowed the moment to get the better of him.

“I was so excited tonight to help the team achieve another victory here in our home for my first Carabao Cup match,” he wrote. “The emotion got the better of me tonight. My apologies to all the Red family.”

Manager Slot did not hide his frustration when asked about the incident in his post-match press conference, describing the striker’s actions as “needless” and “stupid.”

“I told him that if you score in the Champions League final in the 87th minute after outplaying three players and hitting it in the top corner I can maybe understand,” Slot said. “But this was unnecessary and has consequences for the team.”

Slot went on to stress that football is a collective effort, praising Federico Chiesa, who provided the assist for Ekitike’s winner. “If I scored a goal like this, I’d have turned around and walked up to Chiesa and said: ‘This goal is all about you.’ Football is about the team, not just one player,” he said.

The dramatic finish capped a tense match that had seen Liverpool initially take control through Isak’s first goal since his club-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United. Southampton, however, refused to lie down, with Shea Charles levelling midway through the second half to set up a nervy finale for the Anfield crowd.

Ekitike’s dismissal took some gloss off Liverpool’s night but the win keeps their momentum going across competitions. The Reds are currently top of the Premier League and remain unbeaten in domestic competition under Slot, who took over from Jürgen Klopp in the summer.

Ekitike’s sending off also intensifies the competition for places up front. The Frenchman has made a bright start to life at Liverpool with three goals in five league appearances, but Isak’s performance, and first goal, will only increase pressure on Slot to rotate his attacking options.

Liverpool fans will hope the Frenchman learns quickly from his mistake as the club enters a busy period of fixtures, with the Palace trip coming just days before their next Europa League group game.

Despite the controversy, Anfield celebrated another late win and a place in the last 16, maintaining their reputation for last-minute drama. For Ekitike, however, the night was a bittersweet reminder of how quickly joy can turn to frustration in football.