Reason Hugo Ekitike is banned in the Premier League and not the Carabao Cup after red card

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Liverpool's new signing Hugo Ekitike has hit the ground running since his move from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer. The 23-year-old striker scored in the Community Shield and netting three times in his first five Premier League matches, including a league debut goal against Bournemouth .

The French ace also secured Liverpool's win in the Carabao Cup third round against Southampton , but his celebration could prove costly. Ekitike struck late in the game, slotting home after good work from Federico Chiesa, a few minutes after Southampton's Shea Charles had cancelled out Alexander Isak's first-half goal.

In his excitement, Ekitike removed his shirt and held it aloft, resulting in a second yellow card - and subsequent red - from referee Tom Bramall. There was some initial confusion about the implications of his dismissal, but it has been confirmed he will miss Liverpool's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace .

Immediately after Ekitike's red card, there was speculation that the suspension would only apply to the Carabao Cup . This was initially suggested during ITV's match coverage, before the commentary team later confirmed that he would indeed be suspended for the league.

Players who accumulate yellow cards in the Carabao Cup will face suspension within that competition, while red card bans extend across all competitions. This rule also applies in reverse, as demonstrated when Chelsea's goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was absent from the Blues' Carabao Cup match in Lincoln due to a red card he received in the Premier League.

European competitions are excluded from these domestic rules, though. Ekitike is only facing a one-match ban, as his red card resulted from two bookings, but even if he were to receive a longer domestic ban, he would still be eligible to play against Galatasaray in the Champions League on 30 September.

Ekitike's first booking against Southampton was for his reaction to a refereeing decision, and his second was equally unnecessary. Arne Slot , speaking after Tuesday's game, didn't make any excuses for his player.

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"The first one (yellow card) was already needless and to a certain extent stupid because you have to control your emotions," Slot said. "I know how hard it is if you play in the Premier League and you are a number nine then the defender can almost do everything he wants, and when you push him a little bit you get a free-kick against you.

"But it is always the best to control your emotions, and if you can't then do it in a way that doesn't lead to a yellow card. So I think I said when I got my red card against Everton that's always stupid because you can show your emotions. But if it leads to a yellow or red then it's, to a certain extent, stupid.

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"Then I told him that if you score in a Champions League 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'.

"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 and say: 'This goal is all about you, this is not about me'. So, yeah, needless, not smart, you call it stupid and I call it stupid."

With Ekitike banned, Slot might be compelled to give record signing Isak his first Premier League start despite trying to gradually introduce the Swede to first-team action. Isak hadn't yet arrived at Liverpool when they faced Palace in the Community Shield in August and suffered defeat to the Eagles on spot-kicks following a 2-2 draw.

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