Hugo Ekitike has apologised to Liverpool followers after he was despatched off for eradicating his shirt following his late League Cup winner towards Southampton — a celebration labelled “silly” by supervisor Arne Slot.
The 23-year-old new signing slid residence Federico Chiesa’s cross 5 minutes from time to seal a 2-1 win over second-tier Southampton as Liverpool produced one other late present at Anfield on Tuesday.
The France ahead had changed £125-million ($168 million) British-record signing Alexander Isak at half-time after the Sweden worldwide opened his account for the membership.
Ekitike’s first involvement was to be booked for punching the ball away in frustration.
Shea Charles equalised however Ekitike scored the winner within the eighty fifth minute — wheeling away to the nook flag and eradicating his shirt earlier than holding it up for the cameras.
Referee Thomas Bramall had no choice however to subject a second warning adopted by a purple card, which means the ahead might be suspended for the Premier League leaders’ journey to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
A shame-faced Ekitike, who signed for the membership in July for £69 million, mentioned he had obtained carried away.
“I used to be so excited tonight to assist the staff obtain one other victory right here in our residence for my first Carabao Cup (League Cup) match,” he posted on Instagram.
“The emotion obtained the higher of me tonight,” he added. “My apologies to all of the Crimson household.”
Liverpool supervisor Slot was distinctly unimpressed, labelling Ekitike’s behaviour within the third-round tie “pointless” and “silly”.
“I instructed him that in the event you rating within the Champions League closing within the 87th minute after outplaying three gamers and hitting it within the prime nook I can perhaps perceive,” he mentioned.
“He’s like, ‘That is all about me, what did I do’?
“However I’m old style, I’m 47 and outdated. I by no means performed at this degree however did rating a number of targets and if I scored a objective like this, I’d have circled and walked as much as Federico Chiesa and mentioned: ‘This objective is all about you, this isn’t about me’.”
Ekitike has began the season nicely, with three targets in 5 Premier League video games.
However he’s locked in a battle for a ahead slot with Isak and may ailing afford to overlook video games, with the Swede desirous to make his mark.
jw/bc
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