Five times players have massively over-celebrated against sh*t sides after Hugo Ekitike sees red

Hugo Ekitike went from hero to zero in a matter of seconds after his shirt removal saw him sent off in Liverpool’s win against Southampton.

Having already been booked, the Frenchman decided the best way to celebrate scoring a tap-in against a Championship side in the League Cup was shirt off and above your head Messi-style.

The result was a second yellow with team-mate Jeremie Frimpong seemingly the only Liverpool player to realise in the moment how stupid his teammate had been, while manager Arne Slot let his striker know exactly how he felt about it.

But Ekitike is not the first, or the last, player to go overboard when it comes to celebrating against sh*t sides, and here are five examples from football history.

Antony vs Coventry City

Few things sum up Antony at Manchester United more than over-celebrating a penalty shoot-out victory against Coventry.

Erik ten Hag’s United should have swept the Championship team aside in the FA Cup semi-final and looked to be doing just that when they led 3-0 at the hour mark.

In came an almighty wobble. Two goals in eight minutes were followed by Aaron Wan-Bissaka handling in the box and giving away a 95th penalty for Coventry to equalise.

The game went to a shootout which United won 4-2. Cue Antony, turning round and giving it the Big Un to the Coventry players. That’s the same Antony who was brought on five minutes before United’s collapse began.

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Chris Sutton vs Hull City

Back in 1999, Chelsea travelled to third division Hull City in the FA Cup and while the game is most remembered for Gus Poyet’s hat-trick, one of the most miserable men in football – Chris Sutton – also got on the score sheet.

As part of a 6-1 win, Sutton scored a header and after he did, he made sure to tell the Hull fans exactly what he thought, pointing at them and shouting with that typically disapproving face.

The Hull fans had definitely been giving him some stick but we are not sure a goal against a team two leagues lower warrants such a reaction.

To be fair to Sutton, it was one of only three goals he scored for Chelsea so maybe we should let him off.

Michail Antonio vs Leicester City

West Ham striker Antonio had a reputation for his celebrations, whether that be recreating a Homer Simpson dance or, as he did on this occasion, a scene from Dirty Dancing.

Back in August 2021, Antonio scored twice in the Hammers’ 4-1 win over Leicester and those two goals saw him overtake Paolo Di Canio to become the club’s all-time Premier League goalscorer.

A good achievement don’t get us wrong, but good enough to warrant dancing with a cardboard cutout of yourself? We’re not so sure.

Having scored his brace, Antonio ran over to the bench and unfolded a to-scale cardboard cutout of himself before twirling it in the air, a la Patrick Swayze.

But just think of the context behind it. Someone presumably wearing a West Ham tracksuit had to go to the local printers and get that made. Antonio also had to sneak it into the stadium and onto the bench and what if he did not score that evening? Does the cardboard cutout stay until he did? Does it do away games?

We think Antonio’s then-manager David Moyes summed it up best: “It’s not something I’m keen on.”

Tim Cahill vs Carlisle United

Sometimes you’ve just got to think of the rand, so when Tim Cahill scored a winner against Carlisle back in 2010, of course he did his famous corner flag boxing celebration.

Never mind the fact that Everton, who were beaten in the final the year before, really should not have had such trouble getting past League One Carlisle and that it took them until the 82nd minute to get the winner, Cahill felt he would rub the victory in the face of the travelling fans by beating up the corner flag.

The Everton fans were at least a little more humble, applauding the opponents off the pitch with a standing ovation at the end.

Hugo Ekitike vs Southampton

We have always said that scoring a last-minute tap-in against a side 19th in the Championship is the same as a last-minute winner away at the Bernabeu so maybe Ekitike was justified in his celebration.

He is not the first Premier League striker to pull out the shirt-off and held-above-your-head celebration as Amad Diallo did the same thing back in March 2024. Only his was against arch rivals Liverpool, not Will Still’s Southampton.

Ekitike’s actions seem particularly stupid with the context around it. He has not only opened the door for Alexander Isak but put down a welcome mat and set aside a comfy pair of slippers.

It could be a sliding doors moment in Ekitike’s career and may see him stuck to the bench.

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