Hugo Ekitike will have to work his way back into Arne Slot’s good books after the Liverpool forward’s “needless and stupid” red card against Southampton.

Ekitike came on from the bench to replace Alexander Isak, who had opened his Liverpool account in the first half, during Tuesday’s EFL Cup tie at Anfield, which the Reds won 2-1.

Shea Charles prodded in an equaliser for Southampton, but their hopes of a giant-killing were quashed when Federico Chiesa teed up Ekitike for a simple finish.

Ekitike held up his shirt to the crowd, replicating Lionel Messi’s iconic celebration, yet with the Frenchman having already been booked for dissent, he was swiftly cautioned and sent off, meaning he will be suspended when Liverpool head to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Slot was far from impressed.

“It was needless and stupid,” Slot said. “The first [booking] was already needless and to a certain extent stupid because you have to control your emotions.

“I know how hard it is when you are a number nine when the defender can, to a certain extent, do anything he likes. It’s always best to control your emotions. If you can’t, do it in a way that doesn’t lead to a yellow card.

“I told him that 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.’ But I am old-fashioned, I’m 47.

“I never played at this level but I did score 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, this is not about me.’

“Needless, not smart. I called it stupid right away.”

Ekitike used social media to apologise for his dismissal.

He wrote: “I was so excited to help the team achieve another victory here in our home for my first EFL Cup match. The emotion got the better of me. My apologies to all the Red family. Thanks to the fans who always support us and to my team-mates for this victory!”

Ekitike’s suspension means British record signing Isak will likely start a Premier League game for the first time since he joined Liverpool from Newcastle United, though Slot has urged caution with the striker’s fitness after he missed the majority of pre-season.

First goal feeling pic.twitter.com/Pyzs35fO6o

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 24, 2025

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta

Mateta has scored 29 goals in 55 Premier League appearances for Palace under Oliver Glasner.

In Glasner’s top-flight coaching career, only Wout Weghorst (36 goals in 66 games) has scored more under him, while Mateta’s 143 minutes per goal ratio is the best of any player with 1,000+ minutes under the Austrian’s tutelage.

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Since the start of last season, Salah has been involved in 51 Premier League goals (31 goals, 20 assists), 20 more than any other player.

He has 274 goal involvements for the Reds (186 goals, 88 assists), just two shy of the record for a single club – Wayne Rooney for Manchester United (183 goals, 93 assists).

MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

Palace beat Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield in August, but Opta’s supercomputer fancies the Reds’ chances of a victory on Saturday.

However, Palace are unbeaten in 11 Premier League matches (W4 D7), the longest ongoing run of any side. The Eagles are looking to go 12 top-flight games unbeaten for just the second time, previously managing that feat between May and October 1990.

Palace are unbeaten in their opening five matches of a top-flight season for the first time since 1990-91 (opening 10) when they went on to finish 3rd, their best ever finish in the top flight.

Liverpool are looking to win their opening six top-flight matches in a season for a fifth time – they previously did so in 1978-79 (six), 1990-91 (eight), 2018-19 (six) and 2019-20 (eight). Only two reigning Premier League champions have started with six wins – Chelsea in 2005-06 and Manchester City in 2023-24, both of whom retained their title.

This match will see the Premier League’s only two unbeaten sides so far this season facing off.

Three of the last four occasions two unbeaten sides have met this late into a season has seen the match end in a draw, with the exception of Tottenham’s 2-1 win over Liverpool in September 2023.

Liverpool have won nine and lost none of their last 10 away league games against Palace (D1) – this is their longest ongoing unbeaten run away from home in the league against any side.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Crystal Palace – 28.1%

Draw – 24.3%

Liverpool – 47.6%