What Hugo Ekitike told Southampton boss before Carabao Cup clash

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The Carabao Cup is always full of late drama and surprise heroes.

This season’s third-round tie at Anfield was no different.

Liverpool, the Premier League leaders, welcomed Southampton in a game that looked tricky from the start.

The Reds had made 11 changes, handed two debuts, and were eager to keep their strong cup record alive.

For Southampton, it was a chance to test themselves against top-flight opposition after a difficult spell in the Championship.

From the first whistle, the match had the typical cup energy.

Liverpool scored first through Alexander Isak’s debut goal.

Southampton fought back hard, with Shea Charles levelling the game after the break.

The home fans grew restless as chances came and went.

But Liverpool stayed patient.

The night ended with a moment that felt almost written in advance.

The winning strike and what followed carried a strange sense of déjà vu, as if someone had already mapped it out before kick-off.

That someone was Hugo Ekitike.

The French striker, who joined Liverpool in the summer and once played for Southampton boss Will Still at Reims, had a pre-match chat with his old manager.

Will Still later revealed the full story.

“Hugo cracks me up,” Still said.

“We caught up before the game and he said he would come on and score and give me his shirt and bugger off!”

Ekitike’s words turned out to be spot on.

He came off the bench for the second half and did exactly what he had said.

He tapped in a late winner that gave Liverpool a 2-1 victory and a safe passage to the next round.

His celebration brought even more drama.

The forward removed his shirt, forgetting he was already on a yellow card, and was sent off immediately.

Still could only laugh at how it unfolded.

“We sold him to PSG for 50m (euros) so we knew he had a lot about him.

He is a constant threat and incredibly annoying to play against,” the Southampton boss added.

Despite frustration over his team’s “basic and avoidable mistakes,” he admitted Liverpool deserved the win.

For Liverpool fans, Ekitike’s prediction and cool finish turned a tense cup night into another Anfield story to remember.

Read more: Hugo Ekitike takes to social media after red card

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