Liverpool boss Arne Slot slams ‘stupid’ Hugo Ekitike for red card after scoring League Cup winner

LIVERPOOL – Hugo Ekitike was blasted by his manager for getting himself suspended for the Sept 27 English Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

Arne Slot slammed Ekitike for a stupid sending-off, after tapping home a winner against second-tier Southampton in the League Cup third round on Sept 23 and then removing his jersey in celebration.

The Frenchman, who replaced record signing Alexander Isak at half-time, had been booked already for kicking the ball away in frustration. The second yellow five minutes from time left Liverpool defending a 2-1 third-round lead with 10 men at Anfield.

Liverpool captain Andy Robertson told Sky Sports television it was a stupid thing to do when on a yellow card.

Slot doubled down afterwards, adding: “I think it's also stupid if you haven't had a yellow card yet.

“Maybe I'm a bit old-fashioned, maybe a bit old school, but I did score a few goals – not at this level – as well.

“And, if I maybe outplay three players – which I never did – and then hit it in the top corner, then maybe you can say ‘oh, this is all about me’.

“But if I had to score a goal like he did tonight, I would have turned around and walked up to Federico Chiesa and would say, ‘It’s all about you, Federico. Great assist, great run and I didn't have to do a lot’.

“It was stupid, not smart in every sense... he’s now suspended for Saturday and that is far from ideal.”

Ekitike later apologised on Instagram: “The emotion got the better of me tonight,” he said. “My apologies to all the Red family.”

He has started the season strongly since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt, registering five goals and an assist in his first eight matches for the Reds.

League leaders Liverpool, with a 100 per cent record this season, have a tricky away trip to unbeaten Palace next in the league.

Palace beat the Reds on penalties in the Community Shield in August, after coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2.

Slot fielded a completely changed starting line-up on Sept 23 from the side that played Everton on Sept 20, with Isak starting and scoring his first goal for the club.

Shea Charles equalised for the Saints nine minutes before Ekitike’s 85th-minute winner.

“It wasn’t our best performance, which probably has a lot to do with players that haven’t played for a long time or for the first time,” he said.

Slot added that Isak would get increasing game time, with Liverpool trying to build him up faster than usual, but did not expect him to be fully up to speed until after the next international break.

In other League Cup action on Sept 23, Burnley crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat by third-tier Cardiff City at Turf Moor.

Clarets boss Scott Parker paid the price for changing his entire team from last weekend’s game with Nottingham Forest.

Cardiff’s Joel Colwill prodded home in the 30th minute and Callum Robinson bagged the visitors’ second five minutes later.

Zian Flemming’s 56th-minute reply was not enough to spare Burnley’s blushes.

Said Parker: “We were well short of where we needed to be. There were some tactical things we were short on but lots of others – intensity, duels and being sloppy on the ball.”

Fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers lifted the gloom around Molineux with a 2-0 win against Everton.

Vitor Pereira’s team sit bottom of the Premier League after losing all five of their top-flight games.

Marshall Munetsi put Wolves ahead with a 29th-minute tap-in and Tolu Arokodare chipped home the second in the 87th minute.

Said Pereira: “I’m happy for my players because I miss their smiles. I miss going into the dressing room and seeing their smile, and the smiles of the supporters.”

Meanwhile, Diego Gomez scored four times as Brighton thrashed third-division Barnsley 6-0 at Oakwell. Harry Howell and Yasin Ayari also found the net.

Said Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler: “We are pleased we had Diego in such unbelievable shape tonight, unbelievable goals and these helped us get better and better into the game.”

Elsewhere, Emile Smith Rowe’s 66th-minute goal sent Fulham through with a 1-0 win against fourth-tier Cambridge City at Craven Cottage. AFP, REUTERS