Hugo Ekitike could face a severe penalty after being sent off in the match against Southampton, despite already serving a one-game suspension.
The 23-year-old had a challenging night at Anfield on Tuesday against the Saints.
Liverpool advanced to the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 2-1 win over the team from the south coast, overcoming what many thought would be an easy victory. With the score tied at 1-1, Federico Chiesa controlled a long pass from Andrew Robertson and set up Ekitike for a simple finish to make it 2-1 just over five minutes from time.
After scoring his fifth goal for Liverpool since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer, Ekitike took off his shirt and held it up to the Kop, showing his name and number 22.
Liverpool’s right-back Jeremie Frimpong appeared to realize this celebration would earn Ekitike a second yellow card, which referee Thomas Bramall then issued, sending him off. Ekitike had already been booked earlier for punching the ball in frustration after conceding a free-kick. Consequently, he will miss Liverpool’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
After the game, head coach Arne Slot criticized Ekitike’s behavior as “unnecessary.”
Slot told Sky Sports: “I said to him, if you score in the Champions League final in the 87th minute after beating three defenders and placing it in the top corner, I might understand. He replied, ‘This is all about me, what did I do?’”
He added: “If I scored a goal like that, I’d have gone over to Federico Chiesa and said, ‘This goal is about you, not me.’”
While Slot’s harsh comments and the one-match ban might suffice as punishment, Ekitike could face further consequences. According to a report by the Mail, his disciplinary issues might lead to a fine of two weeks’ wages, although this has not been confirmed officially. If imposed, he could lose nearly £500,000, based on estimates from Capology.
Ekitike responded to the red card on Instagram, posting an apology in his story:
“I was so excited tonight to help the team secure another win here at home in my first Carabao Cup match. The emotion got the better of me. My apologies to all the Red family. Thanks to the fans for their ongoing support and to my teammates for the victory. #Reds.”
Leave a Reply