At the 68th minute at Etihad Stadium, with Man City leading Liverpool 4-0, Ekitike was substituted for Cody Gakpo. Three minutes later, Cherki was also replaced by Tijjani Reijnders. After leaving the field, the two French players approached each other, greeted, and exchanged shirts. While this action is common in football, it typically occurs after a match concludes.

The sensitivity of the situation stemmed from the match context. Liverpool was already trailing by four goals, with little chance of a comeback. Many fans viewed swapping shirts at this point as a lack of focus and inconsistent with competitive spirit.

Cherki wearing Ekitike's shirt on the bench during Man City's 4-0 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom on 4/4. Photo: Daily Mail

Dominic King, a Daily Mail reporter from Liverpool, wrote on X: "You don't give your shirt away when you're getting hammered and the game is still going on". He added: "The disconnect between what some players deem acceptable and what supporters find offensive is growing".

The account @ThatLFCTrio agreed, suggesting Ekitike was not the only one at fault. "Ekitike's actions were poor, though I can understand why he did it", they commented. "He was substituted as the best forward, the game was decided, and he felt down. His French national team colleague wanted his shirt. Cherki's action was even more uncivilized when he put it on during the match. Cherki knew what he was doing. What an idiot".

The user referred to the moment Cherki put on the Liverpool shirt and sat on the Man City bench after leaving the field. The home team's coaching staff quickly admonished him. The French midfielder immediately took off the shirt, raised his hand to apologize, with a subtle smile. However, this image spread rapidly on social media, as it was broadcast live.

Cherki wearing Ekitike's shirt.

Most criticism targeted Ekitike. On Liverpool forums, the 23-year-old forward was accused of displaying a careless attitude in a match where his team was completely outplayed. One user wrote that swapping shirts while losing 0-4 "speaks volumes about the team's mentality", while another called it an "unacceptable" act.

Ekitike had little impact on the game. Liverpool's attack struggled against Man City's pressure. The turning point came when defender Virgil van Dijk fouled in the penalty area, allowing Erling Haaland to open the scoring from the spot. Before halftime, Haaland headed in a second goal from Antoine Semenyo's cross. In the second half, Semenyo scored another, before Haaland completed his hat-trick, sealing a 4-0 victory.

Many Liverpool fans left the stadium early, immediately after the fourth goal. After the match, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai even argued with remaining visiting supporters.

This was not Ekitike's first disciplinary issue. Previously, he received a second yellow card for taking off his shirt to celebrate during a League Cup match. That incident led to the French forward being suspended for the next game, which Liverpool lost. Coach Arne Slot called the action unnecessary and foolish, while Ekitike admitted his emotions got the better of him.

Cherki is also familiar with controversy. Before the most recent national team call-up, he drew attention for provocatively juggling the ball during the League Cup final against Arsenal. At one point, after a collision, the 22-year-old midfielder even posed for a photo, further provoking.

By Hoang An