"It was a completely unnecessary and stupid card," a furious Slot said after the match at Anfield on 23/9. "The first yellow card was already needless. As a forward, I understand the frustration of being tightly marked, but a player must control their emotions. If not, at least don't lose control in a way that leads to a card."

Hugo Ekitike takes his shirt off to celebrate and then receives a red card during Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Southampton in the third round of the League Cup at Anfield, Merseyside, England on 23/9/2025. Photo: Bleacher

Ekitike, who replaced Alexander Isak after halftime, scored the winning goal in the 85th minute, tapping the ball into an empty net. The French forward then took his shirt off and held it up to the stands, mimicking Lionel Messi's iconic celebration in Barcelona's La Liga win against Real Madrid in 2017.

Ekitike had already been booked for dissent. Consequently, he was sent off and will miss the next match against Crystal Palace in the sixth round of the Premier League on 27/9. As the 23-year-old left the field, Slot appeared indifferent, avoiding any interaction.

Slot believed the goal didn't warrant such an extravagant celebration. "If he had scored in the Champions League final in the 87th minute, dribbling past three players and unleashing an unstoppable shot, I might have some sympathy," the Dutch coach said. "But this is only the third round of the League Cup. The goal was important, yes, but celebrating like that wasn't wise at all."

Slot also felt Ekitike should have acknowledged Federico Chiesa, who had done the hard work, beating the offside trap, controlling a long ball, and then squaring it for an easy finish. "I'm perhaps a bit old-school, I'm 47 years old. I never played at this level, but I've scored a few goals," he said. "If I scored a goal like that, I would turn around and say to Chiesa, 'This goal was thanks to you, not me.' It's important to control your emotions."

Coach Arne Slot (in black) directs as Hugo Ekitike leaves the field. Photo: Reuters

Vice-captain Andy Robertson also expressed disappointment with his teammate. "It's silly," the Scottish defender told Sky Sports. "Scoring a goal is emotional, of course, but he forgot he had already been booked. Two silly cards. Ekitike will have to learn from this, and I'm sure he won't do it again."

Sky Sports commentator Tim Sherwood was more critical: "Can you believe it? He got a second yellow card just for that? If I were Slot, I'd be furious. He knows the rules, but he let the pressure from Isak and the surrounding expectations get to him. Ekitike has scored his fifth goal this season; everyone knows he's a serious threat. There's no need to show off like that. The Liverpool fans understand and appreciate him. Now, he's only hurting himself and the team."

On his Instagram Story, Ekitike apologized to his teammates and the fans. He said he was thrilled to help the team continue their winning streak at home in his first League Cup appearance. "But emotions got the better of me. I apologize to everyone. Thank you to the fans who always support us, and thanks to my teammates for securing the win," the 2002-born player wrote.

In addition to Ekitike's red card, Liverpool also suffered a setback when 18-year-old newcomer Giovanni Leoni was injured and had to be stretchered off late in the second half. Slot said the situation was unclear, and the medical team needed more time to assess the severity.

Hong Duy (according to ESPN)