Ekitike, sent off: Slot criticizes “stupid” red card and Leoni injury at Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has called the red card shown to Hugo Ekitike against Southampton “unnecessary and stupid.” This means the striker will miss the next match against Crystal Palace. Ekitike, who came on as a substitute and scored the winning goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory in the Carabao Cup, was shown a second yellow card for taking off his shirt during the celebration. The 23-year-old player had already been cautioned for protesting, which will cost him his participation in Saturday’s match at Selhurst Park.

It was unnecessary and stupid.

Arne Slot, Liverpool coach

Slot explained that the first warning was already avoidable and that the player should control his emotions. He acknowledged the difficulty for the forwards, but emphasized the importance of avoiding actions that lead to yellow cards.

Ekitike apologized to Liverpool fans after the match via an Instagram post. Liverpool also suffered a setback with the injury of defender Giovanni Leoni in the second half. The 18-year-old, who arrived from Parma in the summer, had impressed in his debut against Southampton. Slot commented that Leoni’s injury needs to be evaluated and that they will wait to see the severity of the situation. Alexander Isak opened the scoring on Tuesday with his first goal for his new club, securing Liverpool’s passage to the fourth round.