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Hugo Ekitike reacts after Arne Slot and Liverpool team-mate blast his 'stupid' red card

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike was sent off late on against Southampton after scoring the winner in the Carabao Cup and earned the wrath of manager Arne Slot

[Arne Slot has a big problem thanks to Hugo Ekitike's 'stupidity']

Arne Slot has a big problem thanks to Hugo Ekitike's 'stupidity'(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot slammed Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike following his ridiculous red card for whipping off his shirt during the win over Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

The French forward had come on to replace Alexander Isak at the interval, and after netting the decisive goal with five minutes left on the clock, he stripped off his shirt while charging towards the corner flag. Referee Thomas Bramall instantly brandished Ekitike's second yellow card, meaning the striker will be absent through suspension for Liverpool's difficult Premier League encounter away against Crystal Palace - unbeaten in 17 games - on Saturday.

This presents Slot with a selection dilemma, particularly after the Dutchman confessed that Isak isn't fully fit or prepared for a full 90-minute outing. Slot expressed his frustration with Ekitike, labelling his behaviour as 'stupid', after he had already picked up a first yellow card for dissent after throwing the ball away in frustation when he wasn't awarded a foul.

Slot said: "The first one [yellow card] was already needless and to a certain extent stupid because you have to control your emotions, and 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 the best to control your emotions, and if you can't then do it in a way that doesn't lead to a yellow card. So I think I said when I got my red card against Everton that's always stupid because you can show your emotions but if it leads to a yellow or red then it's, to a certain extent, stupid.

[Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on as Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool leaves the field after receiving a second yellow card from Referee Thomas Bramall (not pictured) for celebrating scoring his team's second goal by removing his match shirt during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield on September 23, 2025 in Liverpool, England]

Arne Slot did not embrace Hugo Ekitike when he walked off the pitch(Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)

"Then 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 say 'it's all about me'.

"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, and if I scored a goal like this I would have turned around and walked up to Federico Chiesa and say '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."

Ekitike's team-mate Andy Robertson shared a similar view. The Scottish captain, who led the Reds in Virgil van Dijk's absence, was critical of the Frenchman's actions, reports the Mirror.

[Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's second goal by removing his match shirt and subsequently receives a second yellow card from Referee Thomas Bramall to be sent off during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield on September 23, 2025 in Liverpool, England]

(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

"I think scoring a goal is always emotional and you always get that emotion," he said. "But he's obviously just forgotten he's been booked.

"His first one is stupidity, kicking the ball away, we know the rules around that. Two silly bookings to pick up and now we miss him for Saturday.

"It's silly from his part but he's only young and he will learn from it. Happy that he scored but the last 10 minutes were made a bit more difficult being down to ten men. He will learn from it and I am sure he won't do it again."

Following the match, Ekitike used Instagram to issue an apology for his dismissal. He wrote: "I was so excited tonight to help the team achieve another victory here in our home for my first Carabao Cup match... The emotion got the better of me tonight.

"My apologies to all the Red family, thanks to the fans who always support as and to my team-mates for secured this victory!"

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