Hugo Ekitike has not been fined by Liverpool for a "stupid" red card as Arne Slot claimed that the striker is "allowed to make a mistake". The French forward, who came off the bench to score the decisive goal in Tuesday's 2-1 win against Southampton, was sent off just moments after taking off his shirt in celebration, earning a second booking having already picked up a yellow card.
Red card chaos at Anfield
Ekitike entered the Carabao Cup tie as a substitute for Alexander Isak in the second half. Within eight minutes, he was booked for punching the ball away after referee Thomas Bramall awarded Southampton a free-kick. The French striker redeemed himself in the 85th minute, tapping in a precise pass from Federico Federico Chiesa to put Liverpool ahead 2-1. In the heat of the moment, Ekitike removed his shirt to celebrate in front of the home fans, a decision that proved costly. The second yellow card came swiftly, and he was forced to walk down the tunnel, leaving Slot fuming.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesSlot steps in to defend Ekitike
Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, Slot addressed rumours that Ekitike had been handed a two-week wage fine. The manager dismissed the claims and offered full backing for the striker.
"Disciplined means a fine, which he didn’t get. I spoke to him," he said. "He said sorry straight away to his team-mates, he is young and players of all ages make mistakes and you are allowed at this club to make a mistake without getting fined."
Lesson learnt by young striker
Slot went on to praise Ekitike’s character, noting his warmth and professionalism off the pitch. "A fantastic human being. If you asked staff for top three warmest and polite players, he would be in there. So he can make a mistake," Slot said.
"It wasn’t smart, it didn’t hurt us. It might hurt a bit more tomorrow but Chiesa is showing himself and a chance for him to play tomorrow off the bench."
Getty Images SportChampions League test awaits Ekitike next
Ekitike will be missing out on the trip to Crystal Palace due to suspension, but is set to return for Liverpool’s Champions League clash in Istanbul against Galatasaray next Tuesday. With a European showdown in midweek, the striker has the perfect opportunity to bounce back and show that the rash moment was simply a blip in the matrix.