Arne Slot warns Hugo Ekitike over 'selfish' goal celebration as Liverpool star faces ban

Arne Slot warns Hugo Ekitike over 'selfish' goal celebration as Liverpool star faces ban originally appeared on The Sporting News

Liverpool stretched their winning start to the 2025/26 season with a late 2-1 victory over Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

The Reds still have a 100% record across all competitions, but they were forced to dig deep by the Saints at Anfield, as Arne Slot's side produced yet another late winner.

As part of a superb opening to the campaign, the defending Premier League champions have relied on late rallies, and the pattern was repeated to book a spot in the Fourth Round.

Alexander Isak netted his first goal since joining in a Premier League transfer record this summer after being recalled to the starting lineup.

However, as part of Slot's meticulous plan to build up his match fitness, the Sweden international was replaced by Hugo Ekitike at half-time and the Frenchman stole the show.

As the tie appeared to be heading for a penalty shootout - after Shea Charles' equaliser - Ekitike steered home his fourth goal of the campaign from Federico Chiesa's brilliant lay off.

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As Ekitike sprinted off to celebrate, the former Eintracht Frankfurt hitman removed his shirt in front of the Kop, and was promptly shown a second yellow card by match referee Thomas Bramall.

Rules on shirt removal are clear, and Ekitike will now serve a one-game suspension for the league trip to Crystal Palace on September 27, and Slot has warned the 23-year-old over putting the team first.

"It was stupid. The first yellow was needless and to an extent, stupid, you've got to control your emotions," as per BBC Sport.

"I told him 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 is like: 'This is all about me - what did I do'.

"I never played at this level, but scored 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 - not about me."

Slot could now start Isak at Palace - the first time he's started successive games as a Liverpool player - with Ekitike facing a battle to recover his spot.

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