Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike fire Liverpool past Southampton before red card drama

Hugo Ekitike came off the bench to secure Liverpool’s place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, and the Frenchman was also the first in the post-match showers.

Forward Ekitike, who replaced Alexander Isak at half-time after the Swede had scored his first Liverpool goal, tapped in from Federico Chiesa’s pass to win it for the Reds nine minutes after Shea Charles had looked to be sending the tie to penalties. But then after removing his shirt, he was promptly sent off for a second booking.

Reds boss Arne Slot had opted to make 11 changes from the Merseyside derby victory over Everton, with his side packed full of young talents, players on the fringes and those in need of time on the pitch.

Isak would fall into the latter category, and the Swede almost opened his account for his new club just 45 seconds in, only for his fierce drive to be well saved by veteran stopper Alex McCarthy.

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The Saints forced three corners in the next five minutes, and came close when Adam Armstrong swapped passes with Ryan Manning and brought a sharp stop from Reds debutant Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Liverpool would grow to look fairly disjointed, and Slot cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as he sought some inspiration.

Eventually some would come from Isak, who made a trademark run beyond the Saints defence before teeing up Federico Chiesa, whose low drive was saved by McCarthy.

He had livened Liverpool up, but before he took centre stage came the game’s moment of high farce at the other end.

A slack pass from Joe Gomez allowed Armstrong in, and after the forward was dismayed to see his chipped effort bounce down off the crossbar, he’d have been buoyed by the sight of his team-mate Leo Scienza closing in for a simple headed finish.

Yet the Brazil-born midfielder’s dream moment in front of the Kop was to turn into a nightmare as he somehow nodded wide. He’d have known what was coming next.

Sure enough, McCarthy’s wayward pass out from the back was intercepted by Chiesa, who squared for Isak to gleefully fire home a giftwrapped goal some 38 seconds after Scienza’s howler.

That would prove to be Isak’s final say of the evening, as he departed at half-time following his own tailored warm down.

Replacement Ekitike soon teed up Chiesa to fire in but the Italian was offside, and while the Frenchman did offer a new threat in attack there was no real service to him, and a Southampton buoyed by a Liverpool side that got weaker would grow back into the game.

That Saints threat lingered, and they would equalise when Wataru Endo got in a mess from Manning’s corner, with his header the wrong way allowing Charles to score.

Liverpool would soon grab the winner though, with Chiesa squaring for Ekitike to tap home, before he abruptly exited stage left.

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