Hugo EKITIKE: 2025/26

Yeah I think Slot has drawn a line under it and the player has put out a statement to apologise.

Let it be a lesson no point in discussing it any further.

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I thought for a split second he might have done it on purpose, as a show-off and a mark of confidence in the team, like ā€œwe can even afford a red card and still winā€, a kind of footballing potlach.

Wont be that funny anymore if we don’t beat Palace on Saturday knowing that his availability would make a huge difference.

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I was going to say that no one knows the future so if we can have a laugh today, we should. Then realized it’s you who have posted and now am scared. You know the score already, don’t you? :sweat_smile:

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That was exactly what I thought. Isak isn’t ready for 90 minutes and Danns isn’t ready to deputise for Isak having just returned from injury himself. Not to mention Palace being undefeated this season…

I would like to know what went through Ekitike’s head regardless of the yellow card. Why would he feel the need to show his name on the shirt to the world at that particular moment, as if he already wasn’t getting enough love and appreciation from Liverpool fans?

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That he was doing a public service - everyone will have a clearer understanding on the suspension rules :rofl:

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A shoutout for Frimpong who didn’t indulge in celebrating, but immediately pointed Ekitike’s error out to him.

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Nothing went through it. It was a spur of the moment no thought went into it.

In the past, a number of our players have taken their shirts off when celebrating goals. Firmino once received three yellow cards for it and was clearly told by Klopp never to do it again. Bobby then changed his celebration by only taking off half his shirt. :sweat_smile:

Salah still does it now and then… but it’s always about the team. With Hugo, however, it was a bit different this time. It was a copy of a Messi goal celebration and it was all about him. I felt that was not the Liverpool way at all. Hugo doesn’t really need to stand out like that; the fans show him their love. I find it completely incomprehensible. I really hope he learns from this. Otherwise, he’ll really lose some of my sympathy points.

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Plus no ones complaining about seeing Salah with his shirt off, he isn’t tearing it off to reveal a training thermal shirt underneath, nothing but pure torso for Salah.

It’s just really odd against Soton.

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https://x.com/talkSPORT/status/1970805414796071195

Well…Slot didn’t call him stupid. He said that what he did was stupid.

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Slot’s public dressing down of Ekitike was spot on. If he’d scored in the Champions League Final in the 87th minute after going past 3 players and sticking it in the top corner, sure, but in a game like that last night, nope.

I imagine he’s learnt his lesson, but I’m sure there would’ve been raised eyebrows from the likes of VVD, Robertson, Salah, Alisson at how he celebrated.

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Yeah, that’s an important difference, but you don’t expect talksport to push the analysis that far.

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Everyone knows that though. No one thought this was ok or wise. But in the aftermath, it’s possible to see humour in many suboptimal situations and it is not as if this is something that Ekitike should be crucified for.
If this becomes a pattern, then it is different (and then he should be sold probably) but it’s not a pattern, and he must be given chances to learn and mature.

But yes, he was a colossal idiot. And getting 2 yellows for idiotic reasons is very bad. Sure, sure. But perspective. He knows he is in the dog house. Unlikely to do this in the next few games.

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https://x.com/TheAnfieldWrap/status/1970830212817686958

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Because he is high on himself on natural coke, having been bought by one the biggest clubs in the world while very young, thinking himself a super star that ought to be hailed and admired and he wants to be cool. I don’t think there is anything more to it and I do think this will pass. Particularly given the reaction of his fellow players and manager.

I am not very worried. I would have been far more worried if our manager had protected him from criticism, but he didn’t; at all. So he will know the score now, I think :slight_smile:

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It was clear from Frimpong’s reaction what the players thought, I did like how Slot bigged up Chiesa in the criticism that was a nice bit of management.

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They didn’t to be fair (hate being fair to them tbh), it’s just the guy who wrote that tweet.
Which of course IS Talksport (clicks you know), but not the same guys as in the studio; I truly presume.
Though Simon Jordan could have said it for sure. He is the worst in that studio.

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I hope he does score now in the Champions League Final in the 87th minute after going past 3 players and sticking it in the top corner and then celebrate it again this way. That’ll be poetic and such a beautiful closure to this whole incident. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Yeah this is the concern. Clearly he should have known he’d be sent off and thus it was stupid but even more of a concern is the ā€˜big time charlie’ vibe that it gives. He needs to get fucking humble - hope Arne sends him around to do lots of charity work visiting sick kids etc - and next time he scores he does a low key or team celebration. We know who you are Hugo!

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