Ekitike’s Shirt-Off Celebration Turns Liverpool’s Hero into Villain in Seconds
Anfield was shaking with noise, the Kop in full voice, and Hugo Ekitike looked set to be the hero of the night. Liverpool’s £79m summer signing had just scored a late winner against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, tapping home Federico Chiesa’s low cross to send fans wild.
Then came the twist.
Overcome with emotion, Ekitike ripped off his shirt and held it aloft, basking in the moment. But he forgot one crucial detail: he was already on a yellow card. Referee Thomas Bramall wasted no time. Out came the second yellow, followed by the red. In the space of seconds, Liverpool’s new striker went from saviour to sinner.
The sight was surreal. Jeremie Frimpong, hands on his head, ran over to his teammate as if to say, “Brother, you already had a yellow!” The stadium that had just erupted into euphoria was suddenly hushed, left half-laughing, half-stunned at the chaos.
For Liverpool, the 2-1 win meant progress into the fourth round, but the fallout was immediate. Ekitike will now miss the upcoming Premier League trip to Crystal Palace — a much more important fixture — due to suspension. Manager Arne Slot admitted the striker’s passion was “understandable but costly,” while teammate Alexander Isak, who had opened the scoring, offered calm support: “It’s emotion. These things happen. He’ll learn.”
The red card overshadowed what had otherwise been another bright step in Ekitike’s Liverpool career. The 23-year-old has already scored five goals in his first eight games, thrilling fans with pace and power. But this incident raised questions about discipline and maturity — qualities Liverpool will need if they are to challenge on all fronts this season.
For now, the headlines belong to the striker who turned joy into chaos with one impulsive celebration. At Anfield, it’s a moment no one will forget soon — and one Hugo Ekitike will be desperate to put behind him.
