Arne Slot, Liverpool manager has described Hugo Ekitike’s red card against Southampton on Tuesday as “stupid.”
Slot spoke after the game, expressing concern as the forward got a second yellow card for removing his shirt to celebrate his winning goal.
“It is not [stupid] because it was his second [yellow] – it’s stupid even if you haven’t had a yellow card yet.
“Maybe I’m a bit old-fashioned but I did score a few goals – not at his level, but I did – and if I went past three players and put it in the top corner then maybe you can say: ‘This is all about me,” said Slot.
“But if I scored a goal like he did tonight, I would turn to Chiesa and say: ‘It’s about you Federico – great assist, great run and I didn’t have to do a lot.’ Maybe that’s me being old-school.
“It was stupid, not smart in every sense. The good thing is that his team-mates helped him to get the win over the line, but the thing is he is now suspended for Saturday and that is far from ideal,” he concluded.
Alexander Isak got his debut goal for Liverpool on the night but what would have been an entirely joyous night for the reds saw Ekitike sent to the dressing room and will now miss Liverpool’s next home game in the EPL.