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Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike sent off after celebrating late winning goal against Southampton

Published: 24 Sep. 2025, 09:57

Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike celebrates scoring the team's second goal before being shown a second yellow card and subsequent red card for removing his shirt on Sept. 23. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Hugo Ekitike’s celebrations were cut short when he was shown a red card after firing Liverpool into the third round of the English League Cup with a late winner against Southampton on Tuesday.

The striker will now be suspended for the Premier League game against Crystal Palace on Saturday, Liverpool later confirmed.

Ekitike converted from close range in the 85th minute to secure a 2-1 win at Anfield after second-tier Southampton had threatened to force a penalty shootout. But his joy turned to anguish when he was sent off for a second yellow card after taking off his shirt during his celebrations.

Ekitike's latest goal was his fifth in eight games for Liverpool after having joined the Premier League champion this offseason from Eintracht Frankfurt for $93.5 million .

Liverpool had led through British record signing Alexander Isak's first goal for the club since his British record $170 million deadline day move from Newcastle. But Southampton — 19th in the Championship — leveled in the 76th through Shea Charles.

With thoughts turning to a shootout, Liverpool produced another late rescue act — scoring a winner in the final 10 minutes for the sixth time this season.

“Not the best performance, which you can expect if you play a complete new team,” said Slot, who made 11 changes from the lineup that beat Everton on Saturday.

Chelsea avoided becoming the latest giant to crash out of the Cup by beating third-tier Lincoln City 2-1 after a second-half fightback.

After becoming the most expensive player in British soccer history, Isak began to repay his fee by opening his Liverpool account with a clinically taken close-range effort in 43rd.

It was only his second start after his drawn-out move from Newcastle impacted offseason preparations.

The Sweden international was withdrawn at halftime, with Slot easing him into the action at the start of the season.

But he could be called upon to start against Palace following Ekitike's red.

“It was good to get back out there and score my first goal here, at Anfield,” Isak told ITV. "With every game I play it’s very helpful and gets me in better shape. I’m just getting more and more ready.

“It’s a mixture of fitness-wise and also football-wise. I feel good, I feel like I’m in a shape to at least make a difference.”

Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni was taken off on a stretcher after appearing to land awkwardly while making a tackle late on.

“Of course, he is down because for him it didn’t feel good immediately, but this is something now we have to assess,” Slot said.

AP