Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike found himself at the center of controversy after receiving a "bonkers" red card during Liverpool's late 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Southampton. The incident, which saw Ekitike sent off for two yellow card offenses, drew strong criticism from manager Arne Slot and captain Andy Robertson.

Ekitike, who had only been introduced at half-time as a substitute for Alexander Isak, initially gave Liverpool the lead by scoring his first goal for the club. However, his disciplinary issues began shortly after, when he received his first yellow card just eight minutes later for punching the ball away after referee Thomas Bramall awarded Southampton a free-kick. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when Ekitike scored the winning goal, only to immediately whip off his shirt in celebration. Despite the late clincher, this act resulted in a second yellow card, leaving Bramall with no choice but to send the Frenchman off, much to the disbelief of those at Anfield.

Manager Arne Slot was visibly furious, with a huge vein popping out of his forehead becoming a viral image. In his post-match comments, Slot lambasted Ekitike's actions as "stupid and needless." He remarked, "If I scored a goal like he did, I would have turned around and pointed at Federico Chiesa for the assist. Maybe I’m old school." Slot reiterated that the celebration was "stupid, not smart," and confirmed the suspension for the upcoming Premier League match against Crystal Palace was "not ideal."

Captain Andy Robertson echoed Slot's sentiments, stating, "His first one is stupidity, kicking the ball away, we know the rules. Two silly bookings but he’s only young and will learn from it." He expressed confidence that Ekitike would not repeat such an error. Ekitike himself later posted an apology on Instagram, admitting, "Emotion got the better of me. My apologies to the Red family."

The red card means Ekitike will be suspended for the Saturday clash with Crystal Palace. This puts pressure on Alexander Isak, who had scored Liverpool's opening goal and is now set for his first Premier League start. Despite his impressive £130 million transfer, Slot has previously indicated that the Swedish star is not yet fit enough to play full 90-minute matches, adding another layer of complexity to Liverpool's squad selection. Meanwhile, Southampton midfielder Shea Charles had levelled the tie before Liverpool's late show.