Slot slams Ekitiké over “stupid” red card after late winner, gives full credit to Chiesa
Liverpool manager Arne Slot did not mince words in his post-match reaction after striker Hugo Ekitiké was sent off for a needless second yellow following his late winning goal against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Ekitiké came off the bench at halftime and sealed a dramatic 2–1 victory in the 85th minute, tapping home a cross from Federico Chiesa. But his joy was short-lived, already booked for dissent earlier in the match, he removed his shirt during the celebration and earned a second yellow card, which led to his dismissal.
Slot, visibly frustrated, lambasted the forward’s lack of restraint. “The first one [yellow] was already needless and, to a certain extent, stupid, as you have got to control your emotions,” he said. “With the second one … needless, not smart, you call it stupid, I called it stupid right away.” He added that even in a moment of triumph, he would have credited his assistant with acknowledging Chiesa, saying, “If I scored a goal like this I’d have walked up to Federico Chiesa and said: ‘This goal is all about you, this is not about me.’”
Despite the sending off, Liverpool held firm to book their place in the fourth round. Slot also praised Chiesa for his match influence, noting that he “was the one most involved in the game” and helped set up both goals.
In the wake of the red card, Ekitiké took to social media to apologise. “The emotion got the better of me,” he admitted, extending his regret to fans and teammates.
He will be suspended for Liverpool’s next Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
Liverpool also suffered a blow as they await news on defender Giovanni Leoni, who appeared to suffer a knee injury late in the game. A scan is expected to determine its severity.