Alexander Isak scored his first Liverpool goal and Hugo Ekitike netted the winner before seeing red as Arne Slot’s team edged out Southampton 2-1 in the third round of the EFL Cup.

Isak, who scored in Newcastle United’s EFL Cup final win over Liverpool last season, started at Anfield for the first time since his record move from the Magpies, as one of 11 changes to the Reds XI from the team that started against Everton last time out.

The Sweden international played just 45 minutes before he was replaced by fellow big-money signing Ekitike, who had the final say late on, only to get himself sent off in bizarre fashion.

Southampton gave a solid account of themselves, and though Isak was thwarted by Alex McCarthy early on, Liverpool could have had no complaints if they had fallen behind when Adam Armstrong hit the crossbar in the 42nd minute.

Yet less than two minutes later, Liverpool made their fortune count. McCarthy’s poor pass was pounced on by the impressive Federico Chiesa, who squared for Isak to dink home.

Chiesa saw a goal disallowed for offside, but Liverpool could not get out of first gear, and Southampton had the goal their performance warranted when Shea Charles poked in after Endo made a hash of clearing from a corner.

But Southampton’s hopes of a giant-killing were extinguished when Chiesa raced in behind and laid it on a plate for Ekitike in the 85th minute.

However, in taking his shirt off in celebration, the Frenchman received his second booking, meaning Liverpool had to see out the final stages with 10 men, while Ekitike will be suspended for this weekend’s league clash with Crystal Palace.

We’re through to the next round of the Carabao Cup pic.twitter.com/zhvAefY7HA

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 23, 2025

Data Debrief: Star strikers repay the big fees

Liverpool splashed the cash this summer, but in Isak and Ekitike, they have two top-calibre centre-forwards, and it was no surprise to see the duo make the difference.

Isak got both of his two shots on target, while Ekitike was responsible for 1.03 of Liverpool’s overall 1.85 expected goals (xG). Chiesa, meanwhile, took his opportunity to impress, teeing up both goals and leading the Reds for shots (four) and chances created (four).

Having lost to Liverpool in the quarter-finals last season, Southampton have now been eliminated by the same team in back-to-back editions of the EFL Cup for the first time.

And the Reds have now won each of their last nine home games against Southampton by an aggregate score of 27-3 – their last defeat at Anfield to the Saints came in a 1-0 EFL Cup semi-final second leg loss in 2016-17.