Ekitike apologises to Liverpool fans after 'stupid' red card / Photo: Paul ELLIS - AFP
-
US House backs data center power cost bill amid midterm backlash
-
Argentine judge orders suspension of Falklands oil project
-
US Congress passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill
-
Carrick takes the blame as troubled Man Utd suffer League Cup misery
-
Barca hit Racing for seven as Atletico crush Osasuna
-
Barcelona hit seven in Racing Santander rout
-
US Fed raises rates to tackle 'too high' inflation, irking Trump
-
Amorim's Milan beaten by Benfica, Sunderland make dream European return
-
Man Utd misery mounts after League Cup collapse against Brighton
-
US stocks fall, dollar gains after Fed lifts interest rates
-
Turkey releases 106 protesters, jails more LGBTQ activists
-
Seahawks rule out Darnold for Sunday game at Arizona
-
US Fed raises rates to tackle 'too high' inflation in move sure to rile Trump
-
Mbappe explains Ceuta shirt stance after criticism
-
England were 'waiting for death' in World Cup semi-final defeat: Tuchel
-
Improving Atletico cruise to comfortable win over Osasuna
-
NFL star fined for displaying name of slain Palestinian girl
-
Candidate for UN chief calls for AI regulation akin to nuclear weapons
-
Witsel retires from internationals after 18-year Belgium career
-
O'Neill expects Celtic recovery after Old Firm misery
-
US Fed raises rates to battle inflation in move likely to rile Trump
-
Man City midfield trio backed to emulate Rodri and Silva
-
Fitzpatrick 'not comfortable' over Dubai golf finale
-
'We're losing control,' AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio tells AFP
-
Gaza apartment block collapse kills 21, including 12 children
-
WHO eyes 'encouraging' signs in DRCongo fight against Ebola
-
Gaza apartment block collapse leaves 21 dead
-
Liga boss criticises Real Madrid trio for Ceuta shirt incident
-
US House targets data centers as midterm backlash grows
-
WTA Finals moved to Charlotte from 2027
-
French ex-minister Dati goes on trial in Renault-Nissan corruption case
-
Almost 8,000 excess deaths in France's scorched summer: statistics
-
'Being Heumann' captures joy in fight for disability rights
-
Ex-president's lengthy war crimes sentence shocks Kosovo
-
Retired great Nadal to play in exhibition matches
-
US House faces test on sweeping Russia sanctions bill
-
IR-MED and Dice Technologies Announce collaboration to Evaluate and Advance Pressure-Injury Prevention Platform in Japan
-
British PM says to make 'difficult decisions' as inflation rises
-
Watts, Pitt, Cruz to light up Spain's top film festival
-
TotalEnergies pumps up controversy in France with cut-price gas
-
Sweden expels Iran embassy employee over anti-Jewish threats
-
Global fuel price demos: a round-up
-
Toogood Gold's Table Mountain Sits in the Shadow of a Nevada Gold Rush
-
Leverate Launches MCP for Traders to Connect AI Assistants With Trading Platforms
-
MEXC July–August Security Report: 38.66M USDT in Risk Funds Intercepted, Futures Insurance Fund Hits 792M USDT
-
MEXC Launches $1M "Discover Your Wall Street DNA" Campaign to Help Traders Find Their Market Fit
-
'Breathing toxin every day': Indonesians choked by haze feel helpless
-
Emporio Armani names Dario Vitale new creative director
-
Stocks edge higher ahead of US Fed rate call
-
Maresca defends VAR officials after Man City benefit from error
Ekitike apologises to Liverpool fans after 'stupid' red card
Hugo Ekitike has apologised to Liverpool fans after he was sent off for removing his shirt following his late League Cup winner against Southampton -- a celebration labelled "stupid" by manager Arne Slot.
The 23-year-old new signing slid home Federico Chiesa's pass five minutes from time to seal a 2-1 win over second-tier Southampton as Liverpool produced another late show at Anfield on Tuesday.
The France forward had replaced £125-million ($168 million) British-record signing Alexander Isak at half-time after the Sweden international opened his account for the club.
Ekitike's first involvement was to be booked for punching the ball away in frustration.
Shea Charles equalised but Ekitike scored the winner in the 85th minute -- wheeling away to the corner flag and removing his shirt before holding it up for the cameras.
Referee Thomas Bramall had no option but to issue a second caution followed by a red card, meaning the forward will be suspended for the Premier League leaders' trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
A shame-faced Ekitike, who signed for the club in July for £69 million, said he had got carried away.
"I was so excited tonight to help the team achieve another victory here in our home for my first Carabao Cup (League Cup) match," he posted on Instagram.
"The emotion got the better of me tonight," he added. "My apologies to all the Red family."
Liverpool manager Slot was distinctly unimpressed, labelling Ekitike's behaviour in the third-round tie "needless" and "stupid".
"I told him that if you score in the Champions League final in the 87th minute after outplaying three players and hitting it in the top corner I can maybe understand," he said.
"He is like, 'This is all about me, what did I do'?
"But I am old-fashioned, I'm 47 and old. I never played at this level but did score a few goals and if I scored a goal like this, I'd have turned around and walked up to Federico Chiesa and said: 'This goal is all about you, this is not about me'."
Ekitike has started the season well, with three goals in five Premier League games.
But he is locked in a battle for a forward slot with Isak and can ill afford to miss games, with the Swede eager to make his mark.
M.Fischer--AMWN
