![\"Arne](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1_HugoEkitikeArneSlotjp.jpg\")
Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool, looks on as Hugo Ekitike leaves the field after receiving a second yellow card after scoring the winner against Southampton(Image: Liverpool FC\/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)<\/p>\nHugo Ekitike is unlikely to make the same mistake again for Liverpool but former Everton favourite Tim Howard believes he shouldn’t have been punished in the first placeArne Slot, head coach of Liverpool, looks on as Hugo Ekitike leaves the field after receiving a second yellow card after scoring the winner against Southampton(Image: Liverpool FC\/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
It’s been a rollercoaster start to his Liverpool career for Hugo Ekitike. The \u00a379m summer signing from Eintracht Frankfurt scored on his debut in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield and the goals have continued since.<\/p>\n
The 23-year-old leads Liverpool’s goalscoring charts with five goals in nine games. And, despite the arrival of Alexander Isak<\/a> for a British transfer record \u00a3125m, it is Ekitike<\/a> who could argue to be Arne Slot<\/a>‘s first-choice centre-forward at present.<\/p>\n But it hasn’t been all highs. The new France international came off injured<\/a> in the Reds’ 1-0 Champions League defeat at Galatasaray<\/a> on Tuesday after missing Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League loss at Crystal Palace<\/a> through suspension.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Alexander Isak ‘won’t improve’ Mohamed Salah as Liverpool sent warning over ‘freak’<\/a>READ MORE: Liverpool star Giovanni Leoni provides injury update after ACL tear and surgery<\/a><\/p>\n Ekitike was forced to sit out the trip to Selhurst Park after being sent off in the 2-1 Carabao Cup victory at home to Southampton<\/a>. The striker was shown a second yellow card for removing his shirt immediately after he scored what would proved be the winner for Liverpool<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reds head coach Slot was unhappy with Ekitike, saying after the match: “I told him that if you score in a Champions League<\/a> final in the 87th minute after beating three players and hitting it in the top corner I can maybe understand you say: ‘It’s all about me’.<\/p>\n “But I’m old fashioned, I’m 47, I’m old, and I haven’t played at this level but I did score a few goals, and if I scored a goal like this I would have turned around and walked up to Federico Chiesa<\/a> and say: ‘This goal is all about you, this is not about me’.<\/p>\n “So, yeah, needless, not smart, you call it stupid and I call it stupid.”<\/p>\n Slot drew a line under the episode at his press conference on Friday<\/a> when he confirmed that Ekitike had apologised and that he not been fined for the sending off.<\/p>\n But for former Everton<\/a> and USA goalkeeper Tim Howard<\/a>, the Liverpool new boy did little wrong in the first place.<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t know what the impetus was to make this a yellow card,\u201d Howard, who made 414 appearances for the Blues across a 10-year period, said on the Unfiltered Soccer Podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s stupid if someone made the rule. Was it because people were having like undershirts with messages? Sure, sure. So just make that the rule.<\/p>\n \u201cMy point is, if you\u2019re wearing red or blue and your undershirt is red or blue or you\u2019re just bare-chested, it\u2019s fine. If you throw your shirt up in the air, your team-mate can go get it. It\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have a slogan or if you take your shirt and you throw it in the stands, sure, you get yellow-carded.<\/p>\n \u201cBut do you know how many other stupid celebrations I see every weekend? It\u2019s dumb. Change the rule, change the rule.\u201d<\/p>\n Ekitike was immediately recalled to the Liverpool starting line-up in midweek but followed goalkeeper Alisson Becker<\/a> in coming off injured against Galatasaray.<\/p>\n But unlike the Brazilian, it appears the Frenchman should be fit for Saturday’s big Premier League<\/a> clash at Chelsea.<\/p>\n