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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said Hugo Ekitike's sending off against Southampton in the Carabao Cup was "needless" and "stupid" after he was given a second caution for removing his jersey.
Ekitike, who came on at halftime, was booked minutes into the second half for an act of dissent after disagreeing with the referee, Thomas Bramall, over a foul given against him. After scoring the winner past Alex McCarthy, the Frenchman then removed his shirt in celebration and will now be suspended for the trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
"I'm old-fashioned. I'm 47. If I had scored a goal like this, I would have turned to Federico Chiesa and said: 'This is all about you'," Slot said during his post-match press conference.
Liverpool moved into the lead in the game with Alexander Isak netting in front of the Anfield Road End. But the Reds found themselves on level terms in the second half with Shea Charles pouncing on a Wataru Endo error.
"Not our best performance," Slot told ITV Sport, who broadcasted the game live in the UK. "You can expect that if you play a complete new team.
"So many players that haven't played for a long time. There were positives, Giorgi Mamardashvili had a good game, Federico Chiesa and Giovanni Leoni had a good game. A first goal for Alexander [Isak] and another from Hugo [Ekitike].
"Positives from the game but how we played as a team — not taking anything away from Southampton because they played well — it wasn't our best performance."
With Ekitike suspended, Isak might be asked to put in more of a shift than anticipated at Selhurst Park.
"I feel good," Isak said. "With every game I play it is very helpful and gets me in better shape. It is difficult to say.
"It is a mixture of fitness wise and football wise. I feel good and feel I am in a shape to make a difference."
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"It was good to get back out there and score my first goal here and get the win as well. A good night.
"I should have scored earlier as well. It is part of being a striker, you miss some and score some. The most important thing is to shake it off and be ready for the next one.
"I feel confident in myself that things will work out and when I get chances I will put them away."
On Ekitike being sent off, he added: "I am sure he just wasn't aware of being on a yellow in that moment. Sometimes when you score a goal you are in that moment. Of course it is unfortunate."
English (US) ·